A Silent Hero
by ShhSleepy
Summary: Hero Rising is a game. It's always been a game and to Jason- It should stay a game forever. Charlie would make sure of that. But when the brothers take a ski trip to what they think is any normal mountain, this game turns into a fight for survival.
1. The Chances of Four Flats

**Hey everyone!!! Im sorry this story has taken so long and for my departure. I did promise a third story and I had planned to write it back in January but there's been some problems where I live. My twin brother Josh was in an accident on New Years eve and has been in a coma for the past three months. I've been kinda busy since then and not so much in the mood to write anything down or even hold a pencil for that matter. But he woke up!!! Last saturday he woke and has been on a steady road to recovery since. We aren't sure how bad the trauma is yet but he's alive and I'm feeling like a million bucks. So sorry for the little break and thank you all very much for reading this little tid bit and understanding. Keep Josh in your thoughts for me. ^^**

**In other happier news though, this is the third of my Aaron Stone stories!!! The first two will give you all a better outlook on what's going on between Jason and Charlie but I promise you will still enjoy the story without reading **My Not So Super Hero Aaron Stone **and **Be My Own Hero**. I highly suggest you do read the other two though just because...well...money back guarantee you'll enjoy them. And if you dont I give you permission to give me a not so happy review. I love to hear opinions comments and suggestions. I am only human and do occasionaly make grammatical errors. Please feel free to correct, check and just enjoy the story as a whole. =)**

_So here we have it! Read,** Review** and **Enjoy**! ^^_

**DISCLAIMER: **No I don't own Aaron Stone or any characters. I think all of us here know that but for those of you who don't- just letting ya know!! =)

**NOTES: **Takes place eight months after Be My Own Hero. It's the end of November.

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1

"You see... the trick to the game... isnt being stronger but... finding a way that your enemy is...weaker..." Jason was explaining as his fingers danced over the buttons on his protable game system. Hero Rising had recently gone hand held and he'd been utilizing it since they first got on the bus early that morning. In fact- if it hadn't been for the fact that he would be able to play on the ride up to the mountain, he probably would never have gotten out of bed on time. That and the fact that Charlie had practically dragged him out the door by the arm.

Percy seemed less than amused with Jason's ramblings. In fact he looked nearly ready to hit the roof- but there were teachers on the bus not even three seats away and Jason was as aware as anyone that the large wrestling champion had nothing over him. Jason had already bugged the large boy enough to make him want to kill him before he realized they would be roomates the entire trip. Percy would have more than enough chances to get back at him. But Jason had already ruined his chances at surviving and he was gonna get every moment of pre-revenge he could before Percy wiped the floor with his face.

"But you know...not everyone can handle the boss battles. There something different. And in the handheld game...there's alot of new guys. Like mostly mutants. In fact... I haven't even seen any of the original bosses yet."

"Listen shrimp, I really don't care. Now shut the hell up!"

Jason grinned smuggly to himself and glanced over his game at Percy tapping his foot irritatedly next to him. His face was red and his nostils were flared. Jason wondered how many millions of times he had been told to be quiet that entire trip. He sighed finally. " Fine then. You clearly don't have the brain cells necissary to process this kinda information. I'll move on to more evolved humans." Jason sat up in his seat, kneeling over the back to talk with the the one person he was sure cared as much about his games than he did. The master of games himself- Aaron Stone!

"How goes it, bro? Beat the first boss yet?" Jason asked, not caring that he had interupted a conversation between his brother and some girl Jason had once been turned down by. He couldn't recall her name off the top of his head but it was there somewhere...maybe.

"Jase- I'm busy." Charlie said stiffly, giving him the eyes that told him he was ruining things with himself and a very promising date for the ski trip. "Can't this wait?"

Jason scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Come on Charlie. You're so lame. I bet you haven't even opened your game... Don't tell me I'm actually... Ahead of you!" Jason had only said it to get on his brothers nerves but the quiet glint of Charlie's eyes sent him into a fit of laughter. "Are you serious!? I really_ am_ ahead of you, aren't I? Oh man, this is rich, dude!"

Charlie shook his head, rolling his eyes in a way that said he was hiding his irritation. He glanced sideways at the girl at his side and Jason saw his older brother give her the my-brother-is-a-pain-in-the-ass look before saying rather bitterly. "There's other things to do besides play video games, Jase. We're on a vacation. Can't you put that thing away for a second to enjoy something that doesn't have to do with the virtual world?"

Jason frowned slightly. "I have a feeling you wouldn't be saying that if Carol wasn't sitting with you."

The girl blinked at Jason, eyebrows rising. "Suzan."

Jason shrugged. "Of course. That's what I said."

The girl's mouth gapped open for a moment, clearly annoyed before it snapped shut. Without saying another word, she picked up her bags and moved towards a seat in the back of the bus.

Jason watched her leave with a small smile. It was swiftly smacked from his face a moment later with a rough swat to the back of his head. "Hey!" He shouted, rubbing the spot as he turned to face a very much annoyed older brother.

"You're a pain in the ass, you know that?" Charlie grumbled bitterly to him.

"You're just upset because I'm smoking you in your own game." Jason tilted his chin up defiantly at his big brother. Just like his rather large room mate- there was nothing Charlie could do to him when they were in a teachers line of view. And knowing Jason's reputation- all eyes were on him to do somethough out of hand.

"Dude, you're not smoking me if I haven't even started."

"Whatever, man. If you say so."

Charlie's lip tilted slightly. "What are you getting on about? For once in your life can't you put down the stupid game and live in the real world? Seriously, Jase. You're gonna go braindead or something if you keep it up this way."

Jason scowled deeply. Charlie was being completely idiotic. He wasn't the one that was so obsessed with it. Charlie was the one who was so caught up in Hero Rising and now he was telling him to forget it? Where was the logic in that? There was none! And as far as Jason was concerned- Hero Rising had never just been a game to him. And now that he knew of Charlie's double life- it sure as hell wasn't a game to Charlie either.

A dark frown morphed onto Jason's face and for a moment every memory since his inncident months back flashed in his eyes. "It's not just a game. You of all people should know that, hm?"

Charlie shook his head and moved closer so his words wouldn't fall on strange ears. "Maybe not for me but for you I guarentee it will stay just a game. Now quit being dumb." He sat back in his seat and looked out the window and Jason was sure the conversation was over. He lowered himself back into his seat, glancing sideways at the snowy mountainside and not so much excited about playing Hero Rising anymore. Charlie had ruined his mood. Then again, Charlie hadn't said much. He was doing this to himself. He was making himself miserable for nothing. This ski trip was supposed to be fun. He just had to relax. Everything would go perfectly fine.

Blue flakes of snow filtered down from the sky above and coated the roadside with a light solid stream. It flashed in the sunlight and the bus jerked upwards for a second. Jason grasped onto the seat in time to keep himself steady as the screaching of tires filled the pass. The girl Charlie had picked up earlier screamed from the back of the bus and the vehicle arched left and skid off the roadway into a bank. It tilted sideways, threatening to overturn before setting back down on all fours. They trembled to a rough, silent halt among the trees off on the side of the path.

From the front of the bus the driver stood up in alarm and peared outside the windsheild as a teacher rushed to join him. "What in the name 'a-"

Jason's eyebrows furrowed, standing to try and get a closer look and then sitting when a shaprone told everyone to sit still and let them handle things. He pressed his nose to the window expectantly and just barely made out smoke rising from the back tires to the large vehicle. He ignored the murmurs of panic around him as the bus driver opened the door and stepped out into the frosty outdoors.

He chanced sitting up a little in his seat to get a better look of what was going on and caught Charlie's eye for a moment. Charlie just shrugged it off but his eyes were narrowed slightly as he peared out the window like the dozens of others around them.

"Dear God!" A shout came from outside of the bus as the driver stepped back on the bus to speak with a teacher nearby. "I don't know how such a thing could even happen. All four tires were fine a few seconds ago."

"What happened? What's the problem?" The teacher asked expectantly, eyebrows raising and foot tapping impatiently. She clearly wasn't thrilled at being stranded on a bus full of teenagers.

"They've exploded. All four of 'em at once. "

Jason tilted his eyes back to look at his older brother. His eyes were questioning and suspicious- asking Charlie if he had any super hero thoughts on the matter.

"What're the possibilities of four perfectly good tires blowing flat like that at once?" The driver rambled in a flurry.

The corner of Charlie's mouth tilted downwards slightly and his eyes grew dark. "Not very high."

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Kinda short I know but its an opener at least. I hoipe those of you who are reading this stick with me for the rest of the chapters to come. I think I should warn you that my posts won't be as swift and frequent as they have been with my previous stories as I seem busier than ever right now but I promise to post soon as I type it up. I promise I won't become one of the people around here that posts only once a month. I know I personally don't have that much patience so I promise to be merciful. haha.^^

Please Review!!!! Anything at all you feel like saying is important to me and I love love love to hear your thoughts and opinions. Don't be shy!

See you later in chapter 2!!! Byyyye!!


	2. Who's In My Forest?

**Thanks to the few who reviewed the last chapter!! I was super excited for them!!!!!! I love love love reviews so feel free! Here's the next chapter everyone! Hope you enjoy it. This is where it picks up a little. The start is slow but the end of the chapter is a million times better. haha. Anyhoo-**

**Read REview and ENJOY! ^^**

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2

Jason loitered around outside the bus for the longest time. He wanted to go back inside and chill with everyone else but at the same time he was curious at what his older brother was looking for. His curiosity couldn't dull the numbing sense of cold creeping into the fingers of his gloves though and he tilted his chin against it, trying to tuck his nose down into the collar of his jacket when the wind blew. It was gonna be a cold night. Spending it in the bus was gonna be a pain in the ass but they didn't carry more than one extra and although they had sent word for a tow truck and some assistance- a storm blowing in made the roads nearly impossible to maneuver. Quite simply- they were trapped for at least a days of what was supposed to be ski time.

"So what's on your mind, Sherlock?" Jason asked curiously as he watched his brother scan the tires for the billionth time in the past twenty minutes. "Come to any conclusions yet or am I freezing my butt off for nothing?"

Charlie sighed, his lips pursing slightly as he ran his hand over a large, no longer circular tire.

"Yo, teacher." Jase warned, giving Charlie a tap with his foot to tell him to stand back up. Charlie stood in time to avoid a suspicious look from a chaperone patrolling the kids who got too antsy to sit still on the crowded bus. They waited till she disappeared around the other side before Charlie said anything.

"Look at the way the tires went out." Charlie said, making a half box with his hands and looking at it from between his fingers. Look at the bottom there."

Jason cocked his head to the side, sighing with exasperation before shrugging. It only looked like a tire to him. Clearly flat and clearly unable to take them to their ski resort destination. "Dude- all I see is one less day to enjoy my field trip."

"Focus, Jase. Look at the rubber down here where it popped." Charlie squatted down again and showed Jason a bumpy but smooth edge to the tire where the rubber came in contact with the icy snow underneath. The rubber here was shiny and edgeless but had formed small bubbles of material all along where it met the ground.

"So what? It popped. Big deal."

Charlie shook his head.

"Mind explaining in words then, Aaron?"

At this his brother turned to him quick and pressed a finger to his lips. A sharp hiss escaped him and he shook his head. "Shhhhh. Don't say that out loud."

Jason laughed. "Come on dude. I know this is supposed to be a secret but who is gonna hear us all the way out here? No one's gonna find out so just chill."

Charlie didn't seem happy with his words, pinching the bridge of his nose with desperate exasperation at his little brother. "Jase-"

"Fine. Fine dude, I won't say anything else. Just... tell me what's going on with this tire thing. I'm freezing out here."

Charlie took a steadier breath before continuing. "The tires didn't just pop. They were blasted by something."

Jason tilted his head back, eyes narrowing as he listened. Whatever Charlie was talking about didn't seem good. It seemed mutant Hero Rising trouble bad in fact.

"Blasted. Like how? Like with a gun? A laser? Like what do you mean blasted?"

"The rubber is melted, Jase. These tires were all blasted with... I have no clue what. And that would explain the smoke..."

Jase shook his head. "Dude, that sounds completely insane. There had to be four really good aiming really well hidden and really well timed guys all around us to do something like that. What are the chances of four of these guys taking out all the tires at once? Wouldn't someone have seen them? And dude, we were going pretty fast. How'd they hit us from the sides?"

Charlie sighed. "I don't know. I haven't figured that out yet."

Jason sighed. Charlie's logic didn't make sense to him but at the same time he knew his brother was right. He had saved his life time and time again and he had never been wrong before. Jason trusted that what his brother would think up would be the right thing. However the steps he took to get there was something that Jason wasn't sure he had figured out. "Well, tell me when you solve your puzzle thing. In the meantime I'm gonna go try to enjoy-"

"Kids. It's getting dark. Time to come back inside the bus."

The two brothers glanced up as they were called back inside and they both exchanged one last quick look.

"So what do we do now then?" Jason asked quietly while they walked around the vehicle to the fold-out doors.

Charlie shrugged. "You play your game and try to relax."

Jason raised his eyebrows. "And you?"

Charlie frowned slightly. "I try to find out what's out there that doesn't want us to ski so badly..."

Jason shivered as he glanced out into the pine trees surrounding them. They suddenly seemed a lot less bright than they had before.

"...before it decides to find us."

Jason stepped back up onto the bus and sat silently for the first time that entire trip beside Percy. He glanced out the window and wished more than anything that Charlie hadn't said that to him.

"What're you so scared about, tiny?" Percy grumbled from next to him, cracking his knuckles where he sat.

Jason swallowed hard. "Nothing. Just not so happy about spending so much time crammed here on this bus with you stinking up my air."

Percy shoved Jason's head and the smaller of the boys blinked past the stars that clouded his vision in the next moment. Pain making his forehead throb as he rubbed the spot. None of the teachers took notice. They were all too caught up themselves. Jason decided to do the smart thing for once and shut his lips, rolling over to face the window and closing his eyes. Jason Landers managed to will himself into a fitful sleep.

***

Charlie had no clue what it was that woke him but he was awake. His face was pressed against the leather of the seat and his cheek stuck slightly as he pulled it away and felt cool air brush against it. All around him were the still bodies of his classmates and he felt a shiver run the length of his spine. It was so quiet. The bus was still and outside the window a light snow had begun to fall. Like tiny ghosts they filtered from the sky and trembled in the air. A wind blew and the trees outside creaked. he shivered not because of the eiriness of it all but because someone in a seat behind him had left the window cracked open.

For the longest time he just sat and listened. For what he didn't know. There wasn't much to hear besides the dim snoring of Percy in the row in front of him and the soft murmurs of breath. The wind whistled outside, hissing messages to trick his ears.

"???? Whoooooooosssssiiiiiiiiit? ? ?"

Charlie frowned lightly. The wind sounded less like the wind to his mind and more like a whisper of voices. There were voices everwhere.

"Whoooooooossssit? Whoooooooooiiiiiiiiissssssit?"

The bus stopped rocking and outside the window he heard the crunch of snow underfoot.

"Who is it in my forest? Get out of my forest."

Charlie jumped, eyes trying to adjust to the dark to see which practical jokester was outside there. the shadows that moved were through the trees though. They were no where near the bus. Who would go that far into the dark just for some lame-

The bus rocked and something smacked the metalic roof. Charlie watched Jason shift in his sleep and hoped to God he would just stay asleep and stay out of it.

His heart thundered in his chest as a heavy something dragged itself along the roof of the bus, the wind hiding it's hisses and murmurs as it drew nearer the sided windows. Charlie hated not being able to see whatever it was. He hated being left in the dark. But if he wanted to live to see daylight he would have to face the facts that this was the hand that he'd been dealt. He took out his guantlet as slowly as he could, flipping on the silencer that had recently been built in before he aimed at the spot the sounds were coming from. Taking a not so steady breath he blasted and the wind picked up outside to a shreik.

"! !"

The bus rocked as a shadow sprang from the roof and stumbled onto the ground. From where Charlie sat- He couldn't tell if it was human or not. Only that it was hurt and stumbling over itself. Hurt as it may have been. Its movements were faster than Charlie could comprehend and it snaked its way into the cover of trees like lightning and vanished.

No thoughts were quick enough to rationalize Charlie's thoughts. He grabbed his coat off the seat behind him, slung his bag over his shoulder and crept off the bus with the agility of a thief. The outside chill hit him like a freight train and he trembled when he took his first few steps. Just a few feet from the forest edge and out of hearing range of the bus- he ran. Dark sploches trailed along the ground. In the darkness he couldn' t tell if they were red or purple. He had a pretty good idea though. The way the thing had been hobbling, he knew he had gotten him good with the guantlet.

He picked up his speed as the snow bat down but i was only a matter of time before the footprints had begun to disappear underneath the fresh blanket. The wind whipped his hair back and numbed his face and he found himself running following only what his mind was telling him was the right way.

Silence. Lost. Nothing left to follow. So where did he go from there? He couldn't go forward. Backwards...hewasn't even sure which way backwards was. He wasn't sure where any direction was. He sighed, rolling his eyes as he took out his GPS system. No signal. That was so strange. It was supposed to work everywhere on the entire planet. There were no dead zones. But this one spot seemed to be an acception. Reception everywhere in the world... except here. What were the chances of it? A chill ran up his spine for the third time in the past hour. What were the chances of any of this THis was certainly no coincidence. The bus breaking down. The figure. His GSP. Something else was in the forest. Something else had joined their field trip.

A stick snapped behind him. Something large and heavy was moving clumsily through the trees. Twigs snapped. Branches creaked and breath wheezed from between teeth. Charlie took a breath, lifted his guantlet and waited. When a black shadow burst between two trees he didn't hesitate once. He wasn't gonna get caught off guard by this thing. One shot was all he needed to stun it. It gasped, went down in a heap at his feet and a flare or irritation rose in Aron Stone's chest.

"Damn it..."

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_Ohhhhhh cliffffyyyyy!!!! XD haha. You can all probably guess what's going on but I ask you all that you refrain from making said guess in your reviews. Save it for those ho don't know yet. haha._

_Next chapte coming soon! Btw- there are probablyalot of mistaks in this capter. My keyboard is skipping on me and is missing letters I noticed. Please feel free to correct anything else but I don't need a million reviews telling me im missin letters. _

_THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! _


	3. Extra Baggage

**First I must apologize for the shortness of these chapters. I dunno what's wrong with me. I have the story in my head but i'm having some trouble getting into it on paper...er...keyboard. I'm hoping this mental block will go away next chapter though so please forgive me. Then I must say thank you for reading this anyways and favoriting it. ^^ You people are wonderful!!**

**Read, review and Enjoy!!!=)**

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3

Charlie bent down swiftly and rolled his little brother onto his back. He was still twitching slightly from the shock of the blast and his eyes were wide but it was clear he wasn't in any pain. Charlie had only used a paralyzing shot and not one of the more deadly ones Emma had installed. Charlie had been lucky. Jason had been luckier.

"Wha'da hew, mam!" Jason grunted as well as he could while his jaw was still slack and frozen. His eyebrows twitched slightly and for a moment Charlie could see the irritation there before his face went still again back to it's blank position. "Youber trin'ing ter kirl meh!"

Charlie tilted his head to the side. He didn't understand a word Jason was saying but he just nodded like he did and went along apologetically. "What? Never mind. I thought you were someone else. What are you doing out here anyways?"

Jason shifted in the snow but lay still again after some useless struggling. He grunted, eyes glaring at his big brother. "I coul' ask you der same ques'on. Whabber you doin' ow here?"

His speech was growing clearer by the second and Charlie sighed, helping move Jason out of the snow and up against a tree trunk. "It's my job to chase the psychos, remember? You should be back on the bus with everyone else. Why'd you follow me?"

"I wasn' trying to follow you." Jason scowled, feet scrambling against the ice under him. "I wa' trying to help you keep your secr't."

Charlie's brow furrowed. What did he mean by that? Had someone seen him take off from the bus besides Jason? Did someone know? Had someone seen? A million questions began to buzz in his head as he scanned the forest around them. It seemed much less safe when he knew for certain there was something else out there and perhaps a second something else that may know his identity now. "Whaddaya mean? Did someone see me?"

Charlie watched with anticipation as Jason focused on his fist which he had begun to open and close on his own. It seemed highly interesting to him as he pushed against the trunk behind him and shakily rose to his feet on his own. He didn't dare step away from the wooden back bone though as his knees disagreed with the movement.

"Jason! Focus!"

"Hm?" Jason glanced up at him expectantly. He hadn't even heard the question.

"Jase- did anyone see me?"

"Oh." Jason nodded before he spoke, taking a welcoming breath. "Yeah, soon as you got off I was gonna go back to sleep and Percy followed you. I was only trying to stop him but I lost him a few minutes ago."

Charlie groaned. That was the last thing he needed was someone tagging along with him. Having another student in his hair was not a mission he was up for. Especially since the person tagging along was-

Clumsy footfalls trembled the quiet around them moments before Percy stumbled through the trees to meet them in the small clearing. He was panting for air and his cheeks were flushed pink from the cold. When he breathed his breath puffed out in front of him in large white clouds as tiny squinting eyes took in the brothers.

-Percy.

"Percy- what're you doing out here?" Charlie asked, exchanging a look with Jason that could have meant multiple things.

Percy scowled as he came up to stand next to them, still breathing hard from trying to catch up. "I could ask you the same quest-"

"This has all already been said." Jason rolled his eyes, cutting Percy off. "I beat'cha to it, big fella. You could ask him the same question and no one really knows why we're out here in the first place when we could be back at the bus all warm and safe." He gained eye contact with his brother for a moment and Charlie could see a responsibility there that he hadn't seen before in his little brother. "How's about we go back to the others?"

Percy yanked his arm out from Jason's grasp as he tried to lead the large boy away and turned his eyes back to Charlie suspiciously. "Wait, I never got an answer. Why are you out here, Landers?"

Charlie shrugged. "Uh… bathroom break. I got kinda turned around though. Can't find the bus."

"Yeah he just can't find the bus." Jase added with a shrug. A moment later his face grew pale and he glanced at Charlie blankly. "Wait… like for real?" He murmured and Charlie nodded. He didn't like that look Jason was giving him. It seemed they all counted on Charlie just knowing the way back. How wrong they were. Charlie was about as clueless as them.

"Yeah… for real." Charlie answered slowly, watching the light vanish from his brother's eyes.

Percy's scowl- if it were possible- grew deeper. "I swear you were in some rush for just going for a wiz." He grumbled. "You sure that was where you were headed?"

Jason slid between the two, clearly trying to do his best to help. "Where else could he have been going in the middle of the forest, eh Perce?"

Percy's eyes scanned them both suspiciously, not impressed by any of this. "I don't know. That's what I was wondering. Or I wouldn't have followed in the first place."

"Well that's too bad because that's the only thing I was doing. Now please, did either of you happen to pay any attention to which way the bus is?"

Percy glanced expectantly at Jason and Jason stared at the ground. That was all the answer Charlie needed to know they were good and lost. They were lost. Whatever had attacked the bus was still out there and he had Percy and his baby brother tagging along with him. This side road had gone from bad to worse in an hour. Somewhere in the darkness a twig snapped and he glanced up. There was no time to find the bus and come back. He needed to keep going on to find whoever… or whatever this thing was. But leaving Percy and his brother would make the wrestler suspicious of him. He would have to come and Charlie would just have to make sure he stayed in the dark about Aaron Stone.

"Well, I suppose we'd better find the bus then." Charlie lied softly, heading deeper into the wood till he heard two sets of feet following him.

"We'd better hurry. I'm freezing my butt off." Percy grumbled roughly when Jason ran to walk next to his brother away from the large boy.

"What now?" Jason murmured to his big brother, eyes questioning.

"We find the thing that attacked the bus." Charlie shrugged casually, eyes watching Percy from his peripheral vision.

"And Percy?"

Charlie sighed and shook his head, sniffing when his nose ran a little with the cold. "I'm sure you'll think of something, little brother." He said, ruffling Jason's hair and stepping stiffly between the branches of two trees.

* * *

_Alrighty! Looks like the brothers have picked up some extra baggage on the way! How's Jason gonna deal with this? Charlie gave him this responsibility though. He's gotta deal with it some way or another. Can't let big bro down. haha._

_Jason: Damn...I hate work. I shoulda stayed on the bus._

_Charlie: It's your own fault for being nosey. Now it's your job to keep this quiet from Percy._

_Percy: Keep what quiet from me?_

_Jason: Thaaaaattt....ummmmm.....he's throwing you a surprise party! You caught us. Damn. Oh well. Happy birthday Perce!"_

_Percy: It's not my brithday..._

_Jason: Ohhhh....well......um....damn. this is gonna be hard..._


	4. On What Grounds

**Chapter 4 up! I think i've got my will to write this thing back too. ^^ I've ot a final plan and where I wat it to go ad I've even got a finale all ready fo editing and processing. Im still having some problems with my keyboard missing letters. I did my best to fix my errors but there may be one or two words with mistakes. It's highly irritating I know. Trying to work out the kinks though. ^^**

**Please read review and ENJOY!**

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4

Charlie was juggling. He wasn't very good at it really but he was trying. He'd been given three different obstacles and told to toss them around and make them work. Yeah right! It would have been easier if he had been thrown in front of a bus rather than thrown into this mess. He was no performer. He was just the backstage stunt artist. He filled in where moves were needed and didn't make his own. But now he was alone. There was no outer force calling his orders. Stan was at home along with every other power force that gave him the know how and the how to with his missions. He was stuck to perform in a world where he had to be the normal student boy, the hero Aaron Stone, and the older protective brother.

He was lucky Percy was pretty clueless when it came to anything completely obvious. A bit on the slow side, yet he wasn't nearly as slow as Jason and here was where the stress spiked. He had given Jason the orders to keep Percy away from them but at the time he hadn't been thinking straight. Now that it had marinated a little in his head he saw how very flawed his plan really was. Jason was only trying to help. He really meant well but that didn't change how simple minded he could be sometimes. How could Charlie trust him to keep Percy out of his hair without being completely obvious in return? How could they make this work when they were moving from the frying pan directly into the fire with every passing step across the frozen turf?

Charlie loved Jason. But he wasn't prepared to trust him with this just yet. Last time he had trusted to take Jason on a mission his little brother had nearly killed him after making the stupidest decision of his life. They both could have lost their lives and Jason had promised with everything he had that if it was what Charlie needed- he would stay out of his hair. Looks like he had gotten back in without even meaning to. He had been trying to help- as usual.

Charlie shook his head, frowning at his own consciousness. He shouldn't blame Jason for this. That wasn't fair. Jason was following Percy which meant if he wasn't with them it would still be Charlie and the large wrestler. He didn't know what was worse: being stuck with Jason as well as Percy or it being just him and Percy alone. At least now Percy had someone to distract him.

"There's no possible way the bus is this way." Percy grumbled from Jason's far side.

Charlie scowled. He knew it already. He wasn't trying to get to the bus though. In fact he was doing the exact opposite. He needed to find the problem and that would mean getting as far away from safety as possible.

"We've been walking for hours. It wouldn't be taking this long."

"Would if we started wrong." Jason piped in quickly. "Maybe we're going the right way now though. Who knows? We wouldn't wanna turn around and have the bus be just on the other side of those trees." When he spoke he slung his arm around the larger boys shoulders like they were the best of friends, gesturing towards a line of thick trees in front of them. Percy shoved him off roughly and Jason stumbled against a trunk behind Charlie.

"Or we could be heading in the completely wrong direction all together. And I swear to God if you lay a hand on me one more time i'm gonna rip it off."

Charlie shot a sharp glare over his shoulder at the wrestler. Maybe when they were alone he could toss around those threats but when he was standing right there with him, there wouldn't be a single chance for him to even reach his little brother. He'd be paralyzed before he could register the thought. The mission was dangerous enough for them without Charlie having to worry about normal high school kid Percy hurting them.

"Don't look at me like that, Landers." Percy snarled as he stuffed sausage hands into each pocket. "It's your fault we're stuck out here freezing to death."

Charlie snorted, rolling his eyes. He was cold and wet and tired and having Percy there was like magnifying his irritation by a hundred. He didn't need the complaining. They were all cold. He heard a sniffle and glanced sideways at Jason on his side. He was rubbing his hands together the tip of his nose brushed pink. For the first time since they had started walking Charlie noticed his little brother's pretty obvious lack of winter clothing. It seemed as if Jason hadn't thought about it very much when he rushed off the bus after Percy and him. He had on his boots and jeans from the day before and had even grabbed his hat but his jacket was nowhere to be found, instead he stood in his long johns and a sweater. Charlie frowned. He would keep on eye on him. As if was the weather wasn't too bad but he was sure luck was not on their side and if Jason got too cold all the way out here there wouldn't be much they could do about it.

"No one asked you to follow me out here." Charlie shot quickly at him. "It your own fault." Percy scowled and stayed silent, something both brothers were thankful for. The wind began blowing harder than before and above them the clouds closed up and sealed off the sky, locking the stars away like prisoners held from freedom. Suddenly- Charlie felt very alone and very exposed. He glanced at a movement between two trees and knew his two responsibilities behind him saw too.

"What...What was that?" Percy stuttered, pressing his back against a tree.

Jason took a step closer to his older brother subconsciously. "Probably just a bird or something." Jason mumbled. "Stop freaking out, Perce."

"I'm not freaking out." Percy shot defensively.

"Yeah. You totally are."

Percy's fist shot out before Charlie could intervene and just barely missed Jason's chest. The smaller boy ducked to the side though in time and Percy fell forwards, thrown down by his own pure weight. There was a single moment of pure shock as he tumbled backwards over a bush and between two trees. His hands reached out to break his fall, scrabbling for a hold on the tree trunks that he just couldn't find. Then he was gone.

There was no thump on the other side of the brush. There was no sound of Percy hitting the ground.

Charlie exchanged a look with Jason who's face had gone white. "Percy?" Jason mumbled quietly while Charlie shoved him aside to glance through the wall of brush separating them from where Percy had fallen.

Charlie was hit by a gush of wind as he pushed the brush aside to peek through at a steep snow covered cliff face. Down the edge of it was a streak of interrupted snow leading to where Percy's body had landed awkwardly on a strangely flat turf. He was a single dark shape on a vast whiteness and it was easy to see he was either unconscious or...

Charlie bit his lip hard. "Percy!" He called fearfully. Behind him Jason was apologizing again and again, saying how he didn't know there was a cliff there. Charlie could practically feel his nervous tremor of breath in the air. If Percy was dead they'd have some serious problems to sort out. Not even Percy deserved this. Charlie watched as he shifted slightly on the ground and let out a soft moan.

"Jeeze, you little runt." He complained and Charlie smiled with obvious relief. At least he was alive.

"Percy. Hey, are you alright?"

Percy moved a little more where he lay below, checking to make sure his body was still listening to his brain. "Yeah...yeah I'm fine."

Charlie leaned out a little more over the cliff. "Do you think you can make it back up?"

Percy tilted his head up at them and eyed the incline that had been so easy for him to fall down and which looked a whole lot more painful to get back up. "Ahh...yeah sure, no sweat." Percy stood uncertainly taking a few steps towards the hill and reaching for a hold. He had gotten no farther then four or five feet before he skid back down. "There's no way i'm getting up this thing without breaking my neck. Tell your brother I'm gonna kill him."

Jason had no comments, staying still and silent from where he watched. Like the sound of a tree trunk breaking in half or the sound of death, something below them creaked loudly and snapped. Percy's eyes turned downwards at where he had landed when he had fallen and where the snow had begun to darken to black.

"Crap..." Percy murmured, looking up to face Charlie over his head. "Landers, it's-"

"Ice..." Charlie finished softly. And it was breaking. "Percy! Don't move!" Charlie called.

"What the hell do you mean, don't move?! I'm gonna fall through! I need to get outta here!"

Charlie ground his teeth. "Just stay still! I'm coming to get you!"

Percy either didn't hear or didn't care. He jumped for the cliff side and his feet acted against him, shattering through the thin ice cover and sending him down into the icy water.

* * *

_Alrighty people. The original story had Jason on the ice and all you out there loving some brotherly love but I thought up a better plan halfway through writing it and didn't want to overdue things. Don't be discouraged, Jason distress is on its way and at an all time high. It's gonna go up and up and up I promise just be patient for it. =)_

_Next chapie coming soon!!!!!!!! Already writing it as we speak!! =)_


	5. Liquid Ice

**Next chapie! Read Review Enjoy! **

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5

Jason had never seen his brother move so fast. Maybe he had now that he thought about it but looking at the scene playing out before him he was much too caught up to compare and contrast. All he knew was that Charlie was moving. Hero mode.

Jason stepped back away from the clif edge. He knew there was a part of this tha was his fault. He had been picking on Percy. If he hadn't picked on him then he wouldn't have gone off theedge, thrown down the slope by his ow clumsiness. It was silly in away but on the otherside, it wasn't at all. And Charlie's eyes told him it wasn't an even trade. This was serious. If Percy died they would have a whole lot of trouble working things over with the parents and the school. In fact- if any of them died there would be trouble. To think they would die over something as stupid as an iced over lake seemed a bit immature considering what Aaron Stone was actually looking for, whatever it was.

"Hurry, Charlie!" Jason shouted needlessly. His words fell on deaf ears. Charlie had already shot his gauntlet into a tree and dove headfirst over the cliff. The wind rushed aginst his hair, brushing curly brown strands out of his eyes and chapping tanned skin with a harsh coldness. He aimed for the hole in the ice Percy had gone through mere seconds before and slipped efoortlessly into icy darkness.

The water hit him a whole lot harder than he had thought it would be and pain stabbed a his body. He tried to move, tried to shift his arms and legs enough to propell him through the water but he was burning numb. Every move made him hurt and every second pulled precious air from his lungs. He had lost most of his air when he had actually hit the water. The shock had been so harsh that it had knocked his wind out. He had to find Percy though. The water under the ice wasn't running but it seemed the wrestler had drifted away, too much in a panic to grasp the ice when he had fallen through.

Something dark drifted underneath Charlie's feet and for a split second he nearly gasped in a mouthful of fridged water. It was Percy and he was within reach. It seemed for once, Charlie had some luck on his side. The large wrestler hadn't drifted off as far as he had expected.

Reaching quickly, he snagged onto the collar of the boy's shirt and pulled him up next to him. Even in the water he was heavy and Charlie dreaded that the guantlet wuldn't hold the pure weight of them both.

He flicked his guantlet on, hoping and praying it would retract and pull them out. His lung burned an his eyes were blurring from the cold warping his brain. Blackness stretched into the corners of his vision and his fingers slackened sightly on Percy. So cold. He had never been so cold. The guantlet gave one rough tug and then they were being lifted. Charlie's head broke the water after only half a breath of water and he caughed and sputtered in time with Percy. They rose up and up the slope, his feet scrambling as much as he could against the wall to keep them moving. The guantlet seemed to creak in protest to every inch.

Charlie's legs did very lttle to assist them though. If it had been cold under the water- at least he had been numbed enough to be used to it. Out in the open air and the open wind it was much more difficult to keep his eyes open and his teeth from chattering. He glanced at Percy's white face and knew there was at least one thing he didn't need to worry about. He was unconscious. He wouldn't remember the amazing rescue Charlie performed as the great Aaron Stone.

"Charlie!" Jason shouted from above them, face releived yet on edge as he waved from the very limits of the ledge. "Charlie, hurry up!"

"'m....g-going...f-f-fast as I..." Charlie tried to stutter back. His throat hurt to speak. His jaw clentched painfully against the chattering. His arm locked around Percy's lumpy form. If he weren't frozen that way he would have dropped him.

The guantlet jerked, trembled once and then broke free of the tree above. But Charlie did not fall like he expected from above his little brother cried out and grasped hold of the rope, setting himelf between two trees and wrapping th rope around each hand. Charlie smiled. He could count on Jason. He could always count on him.

"H-hang....in the-there, J...Ja..." Charlie murmured as he pressed his feet against the cliff wall to help their assent. There wasn't much distance to go but he could hear Jason struggling to hoist them the rest of the way.

"You guys...weigh a ton!" Jason grunted between breaths. "Ever heard of... dieting?"

Jason let out a final shout of determination and pulled his brother and Percy up out of the air and onto flat land. He was at Charlie's side in the next moment and Charlie grinned weakly as his teeth chattered so hard he was certain they would shatter.

Charlie struggled to keep his eyes open as he watched Jason take moved Percy through the trees and came back to help Charlie scramble away from the edge as well where he stripped off both of their wet jackets and boots and then his own dry ones.

Charlie frowned as Jason shoved his own sweater into Charlie's hands and forced it over his head. He continued on to squeeze Percy into his long john shirt. Charlie caughed, trying to figt back the fog to refuse the sweater he'd bee given, leaving Jason so exposed in his pain gray T-shirt. The wind biting their skin. He had no time for words though. His eyes closed and he was unconscious in the next moment.

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_Yeah. It's short. The next chapter makes up for it though and I posted it at the same time so =P. haha. Hope you like iiiiiiitttt!!! =)_


	6. Sparks

**Yeeeeahhhh.....so this chapter was boring for me but it's got twinges of brotherly love in there. I gotta warn you guys though- this chapter leads into the main explosion of Jason and Charlie fluffiness. After this chapter and one more after it- I swear you'll either love me or storm down my house and burn it down. lols. ^^ Hope it's the first one.**

**_Read, Review and Enjoy!!!_**

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6

Moving was something Charlie's body was having trouble understanding when he first came to. The second was how really warm he felt as opposed to how he had felt when he had went under. What he wasn't certain of was how he felt this way when he had clearly been half drown in ice and frost. He shifted to the right and noticed how lose his joints really felt. It was like he had spent the night in a comfortable bed on a beach rather than a forest floor in the middle of a snow storm. Blinking through the darkness and the firelit glow between him and Percy answered little to no questions for him. So Jason had managed to make a fire. That didn't change the fact that him and Percy should have suffered at least a rough case of hypothermia. Looking over at the wrestler still sleeping quietly over the fire proved Percy was in as perfect shape as Charlie.

"You're awake. Took long enough, bro. I've been waiting up forever."

Jason's voice carried Charlie's eyes away from the fire and towards his little brother where he sat nearby. Now that Charlie saw him- it was a wonder how he hadn't spotted him before. He was curled in on himself sitting nearly on top of the flames. His face was white and his hands were pruned with the cold as he shivered in only his T-shirt and jeans. He moved to the side to come closer to his older brother and his jeans crackled where they had frozen to the snow underneath him and like velcro he pulled himself away.

"How you feeling?" Jason asked, tossing something at Charlie.

Charlie caught it before it could hit him and turned it over. It was a short rectangular protein bar. He tilted his head at his brother.

"It's a protein bar. I found it in your..." He glanced cautiously at Percy. "You're Aaron Stone suit thing. Seems like someone had a feeling you'd screw up and not pack provisions."

Charlie shook his head, brow furrowing. "How...what... how did you..." He stopped and started again, trying to find words. "Me and Percy were good as dead. What'd you do? How'd you do it?"

Jason shrugged like it was no big deal but he was truly glowing. If Charlie had shades he'd have put them on.

"You guys were toast, man. Like Percy had frost growing on him it was like _The Day After Tomorrow_ or something. And you guys were soaked. Thought Percy was good as dead. But I was looking through your stuff. Like you know how you have all those gadgets and stuff? I thought maybe I could find something and I found this little tablet thing in this plastic bag-" He handed Charlie a small bag marked with the words FrozenHot Instant Releif on the front with a shrug. "I decided it couldn't hurt to test out what it actually does so I chopped it in half and gave half to each of you guys. Guess it did the trick, eh?" A shudder ran down Jason's body and Charlie saw him clentching his jaw to stop his teeth from chattering. Charlie could see how grey his brother's skin looked. He could see the blue tinge to his lips and the way his body tilted towards the fire desporatly.

"Jason, hey...you alright?" Charlie asked, concern breaking in his voice.

Jason nodded stiffly. "Yeah...just cold." He mumbled with a shrug. "It's freezing out here. I nearly took half that pill thing myself." He laughed shakily and Charlie noticed his chapped and split lips.

Charlie's edginess escalated.

Charlie shook his head. He didn't remember even having something like the pills in his suit. It was definitely Hall's doing. He knew. He knew something was going on in these mountains. Charlie going here was only a very good excuse to send him on the mission. Charlie could only wonder what else Hall had equipt for him. There was one thing for sure- Hall had saved both Percy and Charlie's lives.

"Dude, no thank you? I saved your life!"

"Percy. He didn't see anything, right?"

Jason snorted, rolling his eyes dramatically. "No." He said grumpily, upset without the praise he expected. Charlie was much too distracted though. Their whole travel he had been trying to keep his secret. If Percy knew. "He was unconscious the whole time. Chill. And I already explained to him about how you managed to pull him outta the water before he really went under alot. He thinks it was a moment of adrenaline or something stupid like that. He's really not that bright."

For the first time since he had woken up- Charlie could see the dark bags under his brother's eyes. How long had he been sleeping for?

"Hey, you're tired. Get some sleep, Jase." Charlie said softly.

Jason clearly didn't need to be told twice. He slid an inch closer to the fire, close as he could without lighting himself up.

Charlie sat in silence, watching Jason's tense and restless form for a long while before he heard Jason's voice cut through the darkness of the forest. "Hey Charlie?"

Charlie tilted his head. "Yeah?"

Jason hesitated before mumbling roughly but filled with utmost sincerity. "Next time you want to jump off a cliff... warn me or something first."

Charlie grinned. "Will do, brother."

Jason was asleep moments later and Charlie was left alone in the darkness. Seconds. Minutes. Hours later. Later enough so that the darkness had grown less like evening and more like danger and the wind had begun to blow piles of snow down on them, Charlie began to get restless.

Something was wrong. He could feel it in the air. The hairs on his arms began to stand on end and a chill traveled his spine. Sitting in the awkwardness destroyed him and he stood, pacing the circle Jason had made for the camp. He really had done a great job. His little brother was a whole lot more responsible than Charlie made himself beleive. And beleive it or not- if it weren't for Jason's quick thinking- both him and Percy would be less on the land and more a part of it.

Something crackled and he glanced through the trees. There was nothing. Not even a shadow or a lurking presence. He was being dumb. There was nothing out there. He had to relax.

Jason trembled from where he lay and Charlie stepped over to stand over him. He was curled up and it seemed despite the fact that Charlie had given him back his sweater- the cold seemed to be seeping through. His teeth chattered and his lips had lost all color. Charlie reached and touched a hand against his skin to find it icy to the touch, his cheeks flushed red still. Charlie realized he shouldn't be sleeping when he was this cold. It wasn't safe. He checked the bag and didn't see any more pills to give. It seemed Jason needed one just as much as they had and there weren't any.

"Jason..." Charlie murmured, shaking his brother a little. "Jason wake up. You can't sleep anymore. You gotta stay awake now."

Jason's eyes opened for a moment then fluttered shut with a groan. "L...L...Leave me alone, Ch-Charlie." He murmured through chattering teeth.

"Jason, you're too cold. You have to stay awake for me." He snaked his arms around his little brother's limp form and sat him upright. He was more than a little horrified to see Jason's lips murmur something incomprehensable and his head lolling backwards like a rag doll. "Jason, come on wake up."

"Just...let me sleep." Jason hissed, shoving away and laying back down.

And it was then Charlie noticed what was so wrong with the forest. The hairs on his arms were still standing up as well as the hair on Jason's head. Like static electricity, his hair stood on end like he'd stuck a finger in an outlet. Like static, sparks dotted the air between two trees and dashed away deeper into the woods.

Charlie stood and followed before he could stop to think. He wasn't letting this thing get away. He was sure it had something to do with the thing at the bus.

_"My forest!!!"_ It screamed.

Charlie ran faster.

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_Alrighty thennn! Charlie is leaving Percy and Jason and taking off after what he beleives is causing all the trouble. So someone's gonna get...um...screwed over to say it gracefully. But who? lols. ^^_

_Next chapie on its way loves!!! =)_


	7. Alone and Unsupervised

**Shorty once again but building for tension. I have a surprise for you at the end which is actually coming up. Fear not though. The surprise is a good one if you're a fan. ^^ If you hate the story- then it's definitely a bad thing though. lols. Let's see what we're dealing with here!!**

OH!!! And I'd like to apologize to _LOGIN_ for not getting this up before the trip you went on! I didn't get your message in the reviews till the next day. =( I know how irritating that must be. Hope you're back now though and had a nice trip!!! Enjoy! ^^

_**Read, Review and Enjoy!!! ^^**_

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7

Running blindly through the forest wasn't Charlie's brightest idea. The only problem was- he hadn't thought of that when he had first set out after the static. It was dark and quiet, interrupted only by his steady breath and the pounding of his feet in the snow. It was leaving the bus all over again. He thought he'd seen something and then it was gone leaving him very much lost and very much alone. At least before he had had his brother with him. Even having Percy there was somewhat of a help to his nerves. He hadn't noticed at first but running now, the quiet and the loneliness was suffocating. At least with Jason...

"Crap." Charlie stopped running, skidding to a hault right where he was and looking back through the forest the way he had come. His footprints were still fresh and it would be easy to follow them back the way he had come but the way it was snowing, if he wanted to do that he had to do it now. What would going forward do for him really? He had already lost sight of the thing lurking near their camp and for all he knew it had gone back and attacked his little brother and Percy while he was gone. He shook his head. That was dumb. Why would it run off if it only wanted to attack them anyways. This thing wasn't the issue Charlie was having though.

When he'd left his brother, Jason had been in some rough shape. He was still alive, still kicking but for how much longer he could hold out- only time would tell. How many days did he have? How many hours? They didn't have much food. Only that one protein bar. How would they keep warm if Jason had used the tablets to save himself and the wrestler? Charlie felt something lumpy in his pocket and felt his stomach lurch. The protein bar- their only food was still in his pocket. Jason didn't even have that. He turned and started back the way he had come. He had made up his mind. Going forwards wouldn't help anyone. Jason came first- always. And if he couldn't even see where he was running then there was no point.

Behind him he heard static buzz and he tilted his head just in time to see blue sparks crackle in the air and then shoot his way.

Charlie pounced to the side a split second before the ball of flames and sparks scored the air over his head. Through the semi-darkness, his attacker, and the attacker of the bus no doubt, glared through the temporary glimmer of blue illumination.

Tiny. It was a small creature with a pushed in face like that of a bulldog and a jaw jutted out well past that of a normal human being, dangling and hanging in all the wrong angles like it had been snapped off and rehealed while he had been yawning.. It had no ears of what Charlie could see but two blackened gapping holes instead where ears may have been at one point of time. Where they had gone and how such a thing had lost them would be something Charlie hoped he would never get close enough to truly find out. The eyes were squinted and yellow, slits like snakes and no larger than pencil erasers over a folded nose and matching yellow teeth sticking up from the jaw and reaching towards his pale nearly inexistent upper lip. It wasn't human. It couldn't be. But then it opened it's mouth and Charlie and using a mouth that looked as if it shouldn't work correctly- it spoke in a much too human voice.

"My forest. My mountain. Trespassers."

Charlie shook his head. "Trespassers?"

"My forest. In my mountains. Trespassers!" The creature lifted two hands. One of them was normal and human, the skin tanned and rough from wear and tear in the mountains. The other was blackened and raw like it had been pressed without ease against a stove top for hours on end. It moved like a hand though and from out of it formed a round blue orb that shot like a stream towards Charlie's face.

He fell flat on his stomach to avoid another shot sent his way. He felt it brush his hair and for a moment, a spark of pain rushed into his brain. It was electric. It was intense and he had only been nipped. His eyes flashed for a moment and his head spun while his body jerked against the ground. He wondered if this was how it looked to Jason when Charlie had stunned him the other night on accident.

He heard feet running and managed to tilt his head up in time to see it disappear into the brush from the direction Charlie had come. His small pint sized feet morphed into Charlie's older ones and formed a single soul in the snow.

Grinding his teeth against the pain didn't seem to be doing anything for him. He wished for a split second that the creature had shot him with a real gun and not this static...thing it had going for it. At least then he would be able to hobble to his feet and trek on. As it was he was paralyzed. His body wasn't reacting to his brain and when he said move left he went a full right instead. It was hell laying there. It was even worse when the cold began to soak through his shirt and double that when he remembered his little brother freezing to death at a camp who knew how far away. The snow came down and burred him underneath. It took everything he had to keep his eyes open and aware as he shifted as much as he could to keep the snow off his face. It was a horrifying thought to think just how much snow was beginning to fall. If he was being covered after only this short amount of time then his footprints would be near invisible in an hour or two. How long would this paralysis last? How long did he have before he was alone for real?

His throat began to constrict. The creature was out to kill them. It was protecting it's territory. It was partially human if any but beast was a better word for it. It reminded him very much of something Helix would have created but there was no way. Helix was dead! It didn't matter what it was or where it had come from though. It was dangerous and it was heading along Charlie's path towards where Jason and Percy were still sitting all wrapped up like presents in the clearing. If this thing was out to clear the forest of "trespassers" then they were good as dead.

Then he could move and his body jerked out of the snow. He dragged himself along the ground and leaned heavily against a tree. There was no time. If the mutant had gotten to his brother then it would already be too late. He had to try though. He had to do anything he could. He tore out his cell phone. Still no bars. No signal. They were too deep in the trees. He needed to warn him though. He needed a way.

His arms were slack from the paralysis but he needed to help his brother. All he could think about was his body laying flat in the snow, pale and grey and frozen while faded eyes stared blindly at a night sky. Dead. Dead if Charlie couldn't help it.

He felt his head begin to fog up. He leaned heavily against the tree and pushed with all his might onto his feet, his breath coming in gasps. It hurt so bad to move. His every joint was on fire. He tried to take a step and landed flat in the snow as an electric wave came rising up from the icy ground below to nail him in the chest. The creature wasn't close but he could feel a slight buzz from wherever he was. The current was so strong that it carried through the snow like water, pathways directing the charge in any direction as long as the icy pathways lead there. It was how he had taken out four tires at once. The current was traveling through the snow. And out here, something like that was nearly invinsable. He felt a second buzz rush to meet him and grunted. It was powerful but from so far away the effects were minimal and he managed to plant his feet underneath a wavering body.

From the camp he heard Percy scream and his brother shout something incoherent before there was silence.

Charlie stopped breathing. "No..."

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_NOOOOOOOooooooo!!!!!!! Stupid Charlie left his little brother and that goon Percy alone to fend for themselves!!! What an idiot!!! lols. Let's see what he get's for his mistakes. haha. =)_

_Next chapie soon. _

_IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE WHO CARES ABOUT THESE STORIES!!!! VERRRRRrrrrrY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!! I'm afraid to say only 3 chapters left. Don't worry about the lameness of this story though. I decided to make this one like an......introduction point to what I have planned next. I'm actually not gonna stop on this story but I'm going to end it with a FINALE story after this one. This story is only a starting point and broken up into a two part story ending. Everything has been leading up to this all the way back at **My Not So Super Hero. **I'm not kidding when I say the finale story coming up (Which is already on it's happy typed up way) is gonna hopefully kick some butt and give you all some satisfaction. In the next chapter at the end you get a spoiler title. =D Thanx for reading! _

_Next chapie coming soon loves!! _


	8. Prodding in the Outlet

_**Alright people, I'm just really excited to get the last Chapter of this thing up so please review like as fast as you can!! I tend not to post a new chapter unless I get at least 2 reviews telling me you guys are all ready for the next one and the FINALE is definitely worth it. It's coming up, all you!! This is one of my favorite chapies to write, especially when it switches over the Charlie's point of view. I know you'll love/hate it. Lols. And by that I mean I have no clue how you will all react. **_

**Anyhoo- Read, Review, and ENJOY!^^**

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8

"Where the hell did your brother run off to?" Percy grumbled from the fireside. Jason had a feeling that staying put would be a whole lot better for the two of them. Charlie needed to find his guy. He needed to be out there saving the day like he probably was right that second. But Jason knew enough to know he needed to stay out of his brother's hair and let Charlie do the dirty work while Jason did the extra dirty work- looking after the grumpiest mood swing of the year- Percy.

Jason rubbed his hands together. It was fine by him being left there for once. Usually it got on his nerves to be pushed aside on a mission but he was so tired. His eyes kept closing and his body felt far away. When he moved his arms, it took double the time for the thoughts to reach the limbs and tell them what to do. He kept thinking about Charlie finishing the mission. Getting rescued. Surely someone had noticed they were missing back at the bus. Surely they were being searched for. Right? What was taking so long?

Jason shivered and his eyes closed just long enough for the wrestler to nail a rough kick against his shin. Jason glanced up, jostled out of his semi- conscious state. He remembered Charlie telling him not to sleep and knew he had a reason for saying it. He wouldn't have said it if it wasn't completely important and justified to do so. So he was trying. Jason was really trying but he was so tired. Sleep sounded so good. If only he could rest his eyes for only a little...while...just a little...

Percy kicked him again and he glared daggers at the round wrestler towering over him.

"What?" Jason shot bitterly, his voice oozing with vile anger and irritation.

For a moment Percy was quiet- thrown off by Jason's bitterness before he swallowed whatever fear was there building inside that large gut of his and spoke fiercely. "I been talking to you for nearly a year! Have you been listening to a single word I've been saying to you, pip-squeak?"

Jason just blinked at him. Why was Percy talking so damn fast? He couldn't sort all the words out at once. When he had- he still didn't speak, turning his eyes back towards the fire to keep his vision occupied and his mind working. In truth? No. He hadn't been listening to Percy. He hadn't been hearing a word of it. His brain had shut down long before Charlie had taken off and now all he could think about was how cold it had gotten. How so damn cold it was.

The snow buried him when he stopped moving but moving hurt so badly. His hands were wrinkling and numb, the water on them had no dry spot in which to wipe on so the droplets sat there to chill his skin.

He was aware of the danger of his predicament. How long could he last? Percy seemed fit as a fiddle after the pill he'd given him and with so much meat on his bones- food didn't seem like it was all to important either- but Jason's stomach was eating him alive and he hadn't had the comfort of the frozen to magic freakin' warm pill. He wished he took Percy's half just then. Then not only would he be warm but he would have a little peace and quiet. His teeth chattered and he clenched them together.

"He damn went and left us, didn't he- that traitor!" Percy grumbled, deciding asking Jason direct questions was clearly not gonna do him good.

Jason wanted him to be quiet. He'd give anything for some quiet.

"He's just gonna get himself lost and killed. All you damn Landers are slow that way. Every damn one of you."

Jason shifted to the side as something pricked him in the snow. He was probably sitting on a stick. He moved a few inches away from the feeling.

"Selfish and stupid and now you're gonna get me killed. I'm freezing to death! I could be on the bus right now and instead i'm freezing to death while you're retarded brother runs off and plays some silly hide and seek game!"

"Don't say that about Charlie..." Jason mumbled with no heart at all. He didn't think Percy even heard him lightly defending his big brother. If he did then he didn't take any notice to it and went along rambling about how terrible it was. The stick under Jason pricked him again and he moved to the side. Percy rolled over as well where he sat, shifting uncomfortably. It seemed the ground was getting to the both of them now.

"If it gets any colder out here I'm gonna scream! I could be on the bus right now! And damn it, I'm starving! How long've we been out here! I'm so hungry I could...I could....I could eat you!... I mean if you weren't all bones and wimpy I mean. But man, I'm starving!"

The stick Jason seemed to be unable to get away from either grew larger or was alive because Jason felt a shooting pain nail through his spine and jar all the way to his teeth. At the same time- Percy shot up from where he was sprawled on the ground with a loud scream that Jason really wasn't expecting from the large wrestler.

"The hell was that?!" Percy shouted as something small and nimble moved through the trees across from the camp fire. Blue sparks scattered against the ground, sending waves of current through the snow to beat upon Jason and the extra baggage behind him.

Whatever it was- it sure wasn't Charlie. And there was no time to get Percy outta the way or make a cover up story.

Jason stood. His numbness temporarily forgotten as his eyes locked with terror on the shadows lurking just outside the line of trees.

"Percy...run..." Jason murmured, fear evident in his cracking voice.

"What're you talking ab-"

Something small and less then human burst through the trees and blue sparks scattered on the ground everywhere like tiny marble flames and Jason felt his knees grow week with the shock. Percy's face paled.

"What is that thing?!"

"Run!" Jason shouted and bolted past the wrestler. Heavy feet behind him either told him Percy was following or Percy was dead and Jason was being pursued. "Damn it. Damn it. Damn it, Charlie! Where the hell are you?!"

* * *

Once when Jason was a little kid he had stuck his little finger in an outlet. Charlie remembered the day perfectly because he had laughed a little when he saw his brother. It had been comical to him. He had only been seven at the time and had no clue what sticking a finger in an outlet meant. He didn't know the consequences. Only that when Jason screamed and lay twitching on the floor, he had to be joking because nothing bad ever happened in real life. Charlie didn't know that world. He only knew a world where Jason was always just playing with him and just joking. Jason couldn't really have been hurt.

It didn't really hit Charlie what was going on until his mother came bursting into the room, spotting Jason on the floor and her older son staring blankly up from a pile of Lego's nearby like nothing had happened at all. It didn't really hit him till his mother scooped Jason up in her arms and carried him to the door, telling him to get in the car- "Right now!"

Charlie was confused. He only just barley jumped into the back seat of the car before they were speeding off. Jason was set against his chest, his mother telling him to hold him tight from the front seat. Charlie remembered his face. It was grey. His eyes were opened if only slightly and had focused directly on Charlie as his head lolled over the back of his small shoulder.

Limp.

Lifeless.

Yet with a sense of fear if only a little. Jason was so young and small but he seemed to even understand that he was feeling pain and he was in danger. Charlie remembered reaching shakily and pressing his fingers, only slightly larger than his little brother's neck, against the little spot there where he saw a throbbing and pulsing under the skin. The thump of a heartbeat was so strong there and so quick. It nearly hurt Charlie's hand to hold it there and he felt his brother's chest heaving with the strain of breath and containing that wild little heart inside of him.

They were just playing a game. Jason had been playing and then he wasn't. Then it wasn't a game anymore. But it could have been a game. It could have stayed a game if only he hadn't slipped up and stuck his fingers where they shouldn't go. Prodding into things he shouldn't be prodding into. That was Jason.

Charlie didn't know why this story popped into his head. It might have been the feeling of electricity in the air as he drew closer and closer to the camp ground that same little brother had set up to save them all. It might have been the fear that this trip had started a game and once again, Jason was in danger- poking where he didn't belong. But at the same time- if Jason hadn't stuck his fingers there, would Charlie have in the future? Would the same thing have happened to him if he hadn't seen Jason jerking unnaturally on the hardwood floors. Jason was always prodding where he shouldn't, and because of it, Charlie always came out on top.

His brother had grown so much over the past few months. It seemed that learning about Charlie's secret hadn't made him the loud mouthed, egotistical little bro he thought he would turn into. He instead had matured a considerable amount. In a way- he'd stuck his finger back into that outlet knowing what was waiting for him afterwards. But he did it with the sole intention of looking after his big brother. He did it with Charlie in mind.

Jason wouldn't come out on top if he didn't make it in time to save him though. He wouldn't just get a short stay at the hospital and all the ice cream he could eat. If this thing zapped his brother. He'd be fried. Both him and Percy. They would both be dead and Charlie could do nothing to help it but run.

_____

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_

So there you have it!!! next chapter coming soon as I edit a few things either later today or maybe even tomorrow. It really depends. Prom is quickly approaching and I still need shoes. Time I have to type is low but i'm psyched for these next two chapters and also the story that follows.

BTW SPOILER TITLE!!!- No Heroes in This World

Please review. Next chapter soon. ^^


	9. White and White

**This is actually not gonna be the second to last chapter. There are two more on their way and i'm just about finished editing them. One of them should be up tomorrow and maybe even tonight if I feel so inclined. It would be up tonight but I'm having a pretty crummy day. How many people can say they got sprayed with gasoline at a pump? Uh-- after today...I CAN!!! lols. But even though today was pretty long- this actually did cheer me up a bit. That and the fact that after getting sprayed with gasoline and laughed at by an old lady I found perfect prom shoes to match my dress!!!!!! lols. So today was alright. I'm happy. And hopefully you all will be too after you read this chapter.**

**In truth- I'm not too happy with the way this story panned out all in all. Like I wish I added some stuff in the middle but I rushed it. I don't think I will be content until I begin the next story and let you all consider this the intro. Please don't think badly at me and throw things at me!!! 0.0 I will take more time on my next one! Don't hate me! Lols. I promise this ending will make up for it. It's pretty crazy. ^^ Ch-ch-ch-ch-check it owwwwwwwwtttttt!!!!!! hehe. ^^**

**_Read, Review and ENJOY!!! =)_**

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9

Jason turned his head against the sticks and branches that nicked and cut at the soft exposed flesh of his face and neck. He was too numb to feel much of it anyhow and stumbled every other step. The snow bit into his face and shards of ice caught in his hair and fell from trees down his shirt to caress the skin around frozen shoulder blades. It was so cold. He was so tired and hurting. But he needed to survive. He needed to get out of there.

It seemed whatever this thing Charlie had been hunting had switched the playing fields on them. It was now hunting them. It was highly unfair to Jason and he scowled as he ran, panic ripping through him as he looked back over his shoulder in hopes that his brother would come flying out of a tree or something. He would save him. He was sure of it. He slid easily between two trees and heard Percy grumble with fear behind him when he couldn't fit through that same spot. He was much larger than Jason himself and the fact that he hadn't gotten stuck sooner astonished Jason.

"Wait up for me! Hey- wait up!" He shouted to Jason, eyes pleading. Jason would have liked to take that moment to enjoy the fear in the wrestlers eyes if it hadn't been for the absolute and imminent death that would follow the pause.

"Hurry up, Buznik. Come on!" Jason said impatiently. He didn't stop moving but slowed down, inching along and looking back at the wrestler till he had backtracked and run around the two trees to join Jason. And then the run continued and the light feet of whatever was out there continued.

Jason felt his legs tingling and ground his teeth. He remembered this guy from the game. The new handheld one had showed him this exact being. He didn't recall the name at the present time. He never really paid much attention to names and words and counted more on his button mashing through level after level. He remembered fighting him though. He remembered his powers. A mutant escaped from...somewhere. A mutant created by Helix and then freed by Damage. He wasn't very important in the game- merely a side character but he packed a punch. He had a regular speed and his charges took a few moments to load but if you were hit directly you were good as dead. He was glad he knew Charlie's connection to the game world. It made handling this a whole lot easier to accept. But then if this guy was real- what about the other mutants in the handheld? Were they all somewhere out there?

"My forest! My territory! My mountain!" A shrill voice hissed behind them and Jason saw Percy pick up the pace and pull ahead of him.

The trees were beginning to thin out and running was becoming less of a thought process of planned pathways and more of a dead sprint for their lives. Jason put his head down. The snow was deeper where the trees stopped and his heart was beginning to hurt in his chest. His feet were so numb and shot his legs with pain with every step he took. It hurt. It hurt so bad.

Tears escaped from the corners of his squinting eyes and cascaded down his face, leaving cold trails of water and burning his frozen skin. More tears leaked out till he could barely see out in front of him. He bit his lip and felt it crack, tasted blood in his mouth mingling with the coppery salt.

Percy was now well ahead of him by several paces and not slowing one bit despite the clear loud heaviness of his every breath. Jason was pretty sure he wouldn't stop till his heart gave out.

"Come on, Charlie. Come on..." Jason mumbled, locking his eyes on Percy to keep himself moving forwards towards a goal. Everything was pure white out here, in the distance there was a grey mountain frozen with icy rocks but they were so distant and small. Other then that it was like running through a white vortex. There was no color or way to distinguish between sky and ground. Only Percy's large body, slowing getting farther away to show where he was and that he was still on solid ground.

He chanced a look over his shoulder and saw a small figure burst from the line of trees, blue sparks trailed and Jason braced himself when they scattered through the snow and the current came up to meet his body. He ground his teeth as he heard Percy scream from in front of him-

"What the hell is this thing!? Get me outta here!"

Jason locked his eyes on him. His voice sounded so distant as he plodded up and down through the snow. Then he was gone.

Jason blinked again, shaking his head. Percy had just vanished before his eyes. He put his head down against the wind and ran faster, wondering where the wrestler had gone. Then the land disappeared from under him and his legs pinwheeled in the air, his arms reaching upwards for anything at all to grab that just wasn't there. He had a mini heart attack as he fell, hitting the slippery snow covered slope hard. Jason bounced, rolled and skid through feet of snow. It iced into his hair and slid down his clothing. It burned like fire against his flesh in every part of his body and sent him into a fit of shivers and spasms as he rolled to a stop at the foot of the drop off, laying in a still, half burried heap.

Opening his eyes was so hard now that he was laying so peacefully on the ground. He could just lay there. It would be easy to just lay there forever and just let someone else find him. It was kinda nice just sitting in the snow- not fighting anything. Not fighting anyone. Now that he lay here, the cramp in his side was going away and his breath was coming back to him, slowly he breathed.

_In..._

_...out..._

_...in..._

_...out..._

_...in..._

_...out..._

_...out..._

_...out........................_

Jason gasped in a breath and the darkness creeping into his eyes disappeared as he looked up at Percy picking himself out of the snow a little ways away and shaking his head. He looked back up the slope and fear flashed across in his face telling Jason all he needed to know about where their pursuer was. For a moment Jason didn't care. Just let him get him. He didn't want to run anymore.

But Charlie was calling to him. He could hear him telling him to get up. He could hear him calling his name and felt hope. Was he there? Was he finally there to save them? But it had to be! He blinked and realized with some depression that it was not his big hero of a brother but Buznik calling ahead of him.

"Get up! It's coming, Landers! Get up!!!"

Jason lifted his head and pushed his hands against the ground. For Charlie- he had to keep going. Charlie would have nothing to save if he didn't keep it up till he got there. It would be only a little longer. It wouldn't be much longer before he came and everything would be alright again.

He took a few more running steps, face tilted downwards.

His right leg went first. Pain exploded in his numbed foot. He was too cold. His body wasn't listening to him anymore. His left leg went next and his eyes went wide, his pupils narrowing to horrified slits of surprise as his knees collapsed and he went face down in the snow, tears sliding down each of his cheeks. His nose began to run. He didn't want to die here. He didn't want to get killed by the very creature he had only just recently defeated in the gaming world. He didn't want to leave Charlie behind. Something dark loomed over him and he felt his chest take in a large amount of frozen air and snow as it reached for him. His eyes darkened around the corners and he knew he was dead.

"Come on, pip-squeak! Move it!" He heard loudly in his ear. He blinked open his eyes and locked them uneasily on Percy pulling him out of the snow by his arms. He tried to set him on his feet but Jason's body went slack. "What's wrong with you!? It's coming!"

"My legs..." Jason muttered through the blanket swathing his mind. "...my legs won't move." His head lolled forwards. In his head he continued to talk to the wrestler but his lips couldn't form any words.

_'Perce, don't leave me here. Please, don't leave me here. I'll let you have my lunch money for a month if you just get me outta here. Oh God, please. I don't wanna die here.'_

He didn't even have to say it or beg or anything though and to his astonishment, he felt Percy lug him over his shoulder and continue onwards towards a small blemish in the white abyss. There was a small rock face jutting out from the ground several yards away and this was where they headed. Jason jostling about over Buznik's shoulder.

_'Perce-not your best side.'_ Jason continued to joke in his head despite the circumstances. He wasn't gonna go down begging for mercy. He was gonna be strong like Charlie. If this really was it then he wouldn't show his fear. He would think it no doubt- but he'd at least keep it to himself.

He tilted his head up enough to see the creature behind them shoot an array of sparks, loading them in his monstrous palm. Jason had no time to shout for Percy to look out behind him. Jason closed his eyes tightly, clinging to Percy's jacket.

"I'm sorry, mom. I'm so sorry, Charlie... But I'm just not strong enough." Jason relaxed where he was over Percy's shoulder and accepted it.

* * *

_I changed it. There are now 2 more chapters left to this thing. It's a cliffy! Poor Jason! OMG! I was freaking out writing this. Who else's hearts broke when our favorite Landers started to tear up. It ate me inside. That's for sure. lols. Next chapter coming either tomorrow or later tonight!!! _

_REVIEW!!!!!!!!!! ^^_


	10. Desperation's Shock

**_Alrighty then! This Chapter is the one I actually wrote to begin with starting with the last few paragraphs and going into the last chapter. However I broke it into pieces. There is this chapter's ending and then after the next chapter and into the last one- that is where I began and worked off of in this story. That doesn't make sense to you guys but it does for me so don't worry about it._**

**_Thank you so much for the reviews! Keep it up! Here's the nexty!!_**

_READ, REVIEW AND ENJOY!!! ^^_

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10

Finding the camp sight wasn't too hard for Charlie as he followed the footsteps of the creature currently stalking his brother. Finding the way they had all rushed off towards was even easier. The forest trees were blackened and burnt like they had been lit fire and a straight path had been plowed through the forest making light work for Charlie's legs.

He had never run faster in his life. He had heard Percy scream. Did that mean that they were already dead? Was he already too late? The thought struck him rather hard and he felt his heart rate pick up drastically. How long would it have taken him to search the destroyed campsite for a body. Was Jason still there, tucked away under the dead blackened limbs of a fallen truck? Was he dieing even as Charlie bolted the way he thought they had escaped off to? Charlie was so conflicted. If was hurt and back at the campsite then he was going the wrong way and going there fast. However if the creature was still after them then there might have been a chance to catch up and stop Jason and Percy from getting hurt in the first place.

Charlie decided on the hope and pure luck that he would reach the creature before it reached his little brother and classmate. Then he didn't need to look for a body. He would just look for the sounds of his brother's still very alive and complaining voice.

Charlie knew he'd be fine. He'd find Jason sitting all hidden somewhere with Percy, arguing and complaining about how long it had taken Charlie to find them. They weren't hurt. The creature hadn't found them and Percy was still in the dark about this whole Aaron Stone thing. That would be perfect. That would be the day everything turned out right and the sun began to shine.

If only that...

Charlie's heart stopped as he exited the trees and skid to a halt before toppling over a steep slope to a wide open valley below. There was barely a blemish to the vast whiteness of it and for a moment he was so sure it was another lake. But running across it to a small dark block in the middle which- from this distance- looked much like either a rock or a log, was a single blocky figure. Upon closer inspection it was obvious it was two blocky figures. Only one was carrying the other.

"Jason..." Charlie murmured to himself. He looked so limp and fragile. What had happened? Was he even still in there? Charlie's breath constricted as he watched the creature pursuing them glow with an electric blue light. Percy couldn't carry Jason and dodge at the same time. He was too clumsy. Too slow. But Charlie was fast and his gauntlet was faster. He didn't care if Percy found out his secret of not. His brother's life was on the line and he could deal with Percy knowing about it later. "Stay away from my brother!" He shouted, his voice lost in the wind as he ripped his gauntlet from his sleeve and took a singly unaimed shot at the glowing mutant. He wasn't aiming to kill- only to draw his attention away from them.

He saw the creature swivel his way, tiny eyes clear and yellow in the snowstorm raging about them. In the same moment, the blue sparks it had been charging hit the ground and Charlie felt the current shoot up into both his legs and jar his teeth in his head. Percy tumbled into the snow on the other side of the creature and Jason was flung away like a rag doll. In a way Charlie was thankful for that luck. It was better then Jason being crushed under Percy in the fall- something that would have been easy with the pure thickness of the wrestler and the pure boniness of Jason.

Jason lifted his head out of the snow for a moment and for a split second Charlie's eyes locked with his. Charlie knew that Jason could see clearly what he was thinking in that single bizarre moment of relief.

_'Alive!'_

There was no more contact between them. The creature moved through the snow towards Charlie, radiating electricity with every step. Charlie's legs grew weak with every pulse but it wasn't terrible once he knew when they were coming, getting into the pattern of bracing himself every few seconds. He could take this small dose of current. What he couldn't take was a direct hit. He glanced at Jason again who was trying as hard as he could to drag himself by his arms towards a rock fixture that him and Percy had been aiming for. Percy still lay in the snow, groaning and throwing what looked like a mini panic attack. Charlie had never felt so wrong in his life. He should have been playing the hand held game Jason had grown so attached to while on the trip. He hadn't even started and didn't know a way to beat this guy with strategy.

"No strategy? Fine. We'll do this the hard way."

The creature shot a line of electricity straight for Charlie's chest but missed as Charlie jumped to the side. It blasted through the slope behind him and sent an avalanche of snow and ice down on the hero. He coughed and sputtered for air, digging towards the top. By hard way- he meant for himself.

His head popped out of the snow the moment the creature jumped down upon him and Charlie gasped, throwing his gauntlet up in a feeble attempt to defend himself from the current. The larger of the creature's hands closed on the gauntlet arm, blue electricity reaching out from the beasts palm. Charlie was so sure he was dead but he felt nothing at all. There was no pain and no jarring. His gauntlet had blocked the brute of it and repelled it. Charlie's eyes went wide with realization. If he could block with his gauntlet then all wasn't lost. He had a chance to change things around.

He pushed upwards out of the snow, forcing the creature backwards in the same instant and tossed him off as hard as he could with a shout of resistance. It hissed, going down in the snow and rolling to get up. AS it staggered to it's feet, Charlie took his chance to fire two shots at him, the first sailing over his left shoulder, a wide shot and the second nipping his arm and scoring the skin.

As mutated as it was- it was still human and it howled in pain as it clutched onto the blackened burn mark there. The gauntlet wouldn't kill it. It would hurt and perhaps stun if the shot was lucky enough but the gauntlet could only slow him down. It would take alot more than a single blast from his gun to stop this thing for good. He would have to talk to Emma about that. A cannon would be a nice addition.

Blue sparks dripped like liquid from the fingers of his enlarged hand and Charlie noticed with a sense of triumph that there was no electrical current escaping from it's normal human hand. There was no deformity there. Which meant...

...as it charged, Charlie thrust his gauntlet against the electrical bolt of it's mutation and his other clasped with the human hand. Just as he thought- there was no electricity there and he twisted the arm behind the thing's back, using the rubber soles of his boots to land a kick in the small of it's back and send it down into a pile of snow.

"Charlie!" Jason called to him from behind the rock face him and Percy had crawled behind. He waved him over, providing some cover from the creature and some time to think and relax.

Before he could take a single step, the mutant burst from the snow. Where yellow eyes should have been now glowed an ominous blue and outwards from it's body it let off rays of burning light. The rays turned to beams and a smile lit the creatures face. "Time to die, trespasser." It hissed and the beams of lightning burst out like a bomb set off to explode.

Charlie tossed himself down on the ground, rolling when a ray nearly brushed the air where his head could have been a moment slower. He came rolling to his feet and dove for the rock fixture, falling down in a heap on the other side on top of something soft and lumpy.

"Charlie! Hey, you alright, man?" Jason asked as he grasped Charlie under his arms and tried to help him into an upright position and off of him. Charlie realized with some embarrassment that he had landed quite hard on his brother's legs. Legs that, Charlie noticed with some fear, were both limp and spread in odd angles like that of a rag doll. In fact, Jason hadn't even winced when Charlie had hit them. Were they really that numb? Was it frost bite? There was no time to be concerned as he pressed a hand against the back of Jason's head and held him close for a single second.

"Man, am I glad you're safe." He murmured, out of breath from his run in with the mutant a few yards away. "I'm so glad you're safe..."

"Yeah! Just great!" Percy shouted, bewildered now as he shook his head, beady eyes widening. "All safe and alive. But what the hell is going on!? What is that thing?" He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder in the direction the creature was assumed to be. "What is_ that _thing?" He jabbed that same thumb at Charlie's gauntlet. "And what is going on?!"

"Buznik..." Jason hissed, shaking his head. "Shut up. Charlie's gonna take care of this so just chill."

Jason's confidence in him brimmed and Charlie managed a smile even as they both ignored Percy's grumble of- "It's freezing to death. Couldn't possibly be more _chill._"

"Jason- you've played the game." Charlie went on. Percy was asking questions over them but Charlie managed to block him out entirely. "What is this thing? Where'd he come from?"

"He belongs to Damage." Jason said, words slower than normal through cracked lips. "I dunno. I didn't really read the back story to him. He guards the mountain. Thinks it's his 'cause humans made him the way he is and...I dunno. I didn't get that far. I think he's just pissy about not being human- takes it out by being alone up here in the mountain and killing those who pass. Protecting mutant rights or whatever."

Charlie blinked. It wasn't what he needed. He didn't explain a way to defeat him or anything. Just an amusing background on him.

"So how do I beat him?" Charlie asked with slight exasperation. In that one moment there was a scraping from the other side of the rock fixture and Charlie glanced up with grinding teeth. "Listen, stay under cover. Stay here till I take care of things. I'll be right back."

"You better." Jason said with fearful eyes. It wasn't fear for himself though. It was fear for Charlie.

Charlie rolled around the rock, aiming his gauntlet at where he thought the mutant would be. Squinting through the storm, he could see no one. There was nothing. Only white flakes falling from an endless sky of grey. The wind whistled against the rock and made him shiver in the silence as he scanned the surroundings. He couldn't even feel a current in the snow. There was simply nothing. Then from off the rock fixture it sprang, camouflaged in the white abyss to catch Aaron Stone by surprise and send them both toppling onto the ground. Sparks danced over Charlie's chest and he screamed in pain as his body spasmed but managed to get his gauntlet between himself and the mutant's body and hold him back just enough to save his life.

"Charlie?" He heard Jason call through the raging storm. He could hear that fear. He had heard Charlie's scream and thought he was dead. Charlie knew the same exact thoughts. He knew what was rushing through Jason's mind when he saw his older brother pinned under the beast that would bring him imminent death.

_Desperation._

_"Jason, no_!" Charlie screamed at the same time as he saw his brother chuck a stone at them, it cascaded off the mutant's head and sent him off Charlie. Blood dripped from a tiny cut on it's forehead as it bared it's teeth and laughed at Jason's feeble attempt to save him.

"Die." The mutant hissed. It was too fast for Charlie to move an inch. It raised it's arm and released a single volt from it's palm.

It was the silence of his brother that hurt so bad when Jason was sent straight up into the air. It was the wide fearful glaze in his eyes that stopped Charlie's own heart where Jason's had been pierced. A blue streak of death that streaked through Jason's quickly beating heart and out between his thin shoulder blades. It was the strike of hell. It was Charlie's hell and he was watching it from a million different angles at once.

He saw the shock on his brother's face. He saw the pure height the blow had sent him flying. He felt the pain and agony and the harshness of the icy ground when he landed hard against the turf. He smelled the burning flesh when he skid to a halt, leaving a trail of blackened and pink snow in his wake. And he lay himself in an awkward heap of smoke and sizzling heat even moments after he had stopped rolling and lay himself flat in the whiteness, face down in the powder that half buried his scored body.

This time there were no spasms.

There was no scream.

There was no chance.

Jason lay perfectly still.

"JAAAASSSOOOON!!!!"

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_First I must apologize. This could have been written better and I'm not super proud of it but I'm sure you guys are still glad for it. Surprises to come in the next two chapters. And no I'm not mistaken. That wasn't a typo. There are 2 chapters left before I end this intro to the next story. The next chapter isn't long. It's going to be a high of maybe 600 words. Maybe much much less but it's a break to lead into the final chapter so don't freak when you get a chapter that seems like you could eat in one serving. lols. That's just because it wasn't supposed to exist. It was supposed to be a part of this chapter but I thought where I left this one off was a good section to keep you guys coming later. So 2 CHAPIES LEFT!!!_

_Keep up the reviews, loves! ^^ _


	11. This is Where My Life Ends

**Alrighty! For all you who don't read the ending notes to the stories, this chapter was supposed to be a part of Chapter 10 and isn't supposed to exist. I made it exist because I liked where 10 left off. That explains why it's so short but be patient. It's worth reading even still and one of my favorites to have written.**

_**READ, REVIEW, and ENJOY! =)**_

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11

Pain. Agony. Sickness. Discomfort. Distress. Hurt. Misery. Affliction. Aching. Smarting. Stinging. Tenderness. Torment. Torture. Anguish. Anxiety. Bitterness. Despondency. Grief. Heartache. Malaise. Martyrdom. Shock. Woe. Tribulation. Sadness. Suffering. Travail. Wretchedness. Bemoaning. Bewailing. Dejection. Lamenting. Gloom. Dole. Deploring. Desolation. Despair. Dolor. Regret. Remorse. Melancholy. Sorrow. Repining. Tribulation. Vexation. Unhappiness. Failure. Inability. Powerlessness. Incapacity. Weakness. Helplessness. Dread.--

--Death. Jason. Dead.

Revenge!

Charlie had never hurt so badly in his entire life. Not when his father had vanished. Not when He'd been framed for crime after crime as Aaron Stone. Not when he'd suffered injuries and broken bones. Not when Emma and him had argued. Not when He'd been so close to losing his brother.

And when he lost his brother...

...When he lost Jason...

...Lost Jason...

...Jason.

But no! It couldn't be. It couldn't have happened because he had promised. He had promised to look after him. He had promised so many times to take care of him and now. One shot. It had taken .32% of a second to kill him. It had taken that long to make Charlie a single child. But no. He couldn't really be dead. Charlie hadn't even checked. Maybe there was time. He could pull Jason out of this mess. He could. He could. He could!...

His eyes locked on the mutant standing over him, it's beady yellow eyes glimmering with satisfaction. The snow stung Charlie's face but it was nothing against such pain. The Ice numbed his fingers but it was not enough to make his mind waver there. His teeth bit down and sank into his bottom lip but the taste of blood was not enough to stop him when he rose onto his feet and sprang at the mutant. Tearing, ripping. Slashing. Kicking Punching. He was burned and scorched and bloodied. He was shocked and electrocuted and thrown to the ground and again and again he got back up and attacked. He wasn't even aware. If he had been conscious he surely would have been dead by now and the fight would have been over. Percy freaking out in the background didn't tilt his eyes. Jason's still unmoved body only pushed him forwards to end this thing. But he didn't want to end it. He wanted this fight to go forever and keep his mind here in the action so he would never have to face the moment in which he faced the facts and stumbled his way to his brother's side. If this fight could go forever then he could find peace. He'd never have to face what might have been true even as he moved and breathed.

He was still standing, fuming even when the mutant retreated and bolted for the forest. Charlie didn't understand why he had run. Perhaps he had tasted defeat in Charlie's rash and careless movements. Perhaps he understood that Charlie was done. Perhaps he could see that Charlie had nothing more but his life to lose and even that was no longer important. Or perhaps him human half had just gotten tired. Whatever the reason- he ran and Charlie was left standing against the wind, fists still clentched as he spit droplets of blood into the snow at his feet.

"Come back here!" Charlie screamed in pain and desperation. "Come back here and fight you Godaweful Coward! Come fight me you beast! Kill me! COme back here and end this!" Charlie's voice was lost in the storm and the creature still did not return. His body acted on his own before he could tell his eyes not to wander. But still they followed the trail of blood and blackness to his brother laying face down in the snow. So still. So lifeless.

...but was that movement? Right there in his hand? Was that a twitch? Was that life? Charlie stumbled over, falling onto his knees next to his brother and reaching forward. Prepared to face the agony he had caused.

"Oh, Jason...please, no." Charlie squeezed his eyes shut and slowly shifted his brother's thin body onto his back.

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_NOOOOOOOOooooooo!!! What is Charlie going to find!? How is he going to face his baby brother's death! If Jason is really dead that is... hehehe. you'll just have to read and find out. It's a mega super surprise. lols. ^^ Heart wrenching brotherly love coming up next!!_

_There you have it. Another cliffy into the final Chapter. Don't think of the next chapter as a final one though since this is a two part story introduction. _

_NEXT CHAPTER COMING VERY VERY LATE TONIGHT OR TOMORROW!...depending on how many reviews I get. lols. ^^_


	12. The Promises Made by Liars

**AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I love you guys! **

**Thanks to all you new reviewers **(And I see there are some new ones!!! Thanks so much!!!)** I decided to go on an up this chapter now!!! Seriously you guys kick butt! I got so psyched to see 36 reviews peoples and I love love love it! This makes me like quadruple excited to start editing up the next one I wrote and get it up here. You guys are the best!!! lols. I know this must kill you though so here's to the next chapter!!!!!!!!! Sorry for leaving it at such a cliffy. Know what would have been a nightmare? If I decided to drop the story here**............................_(dramatic pause to make you guys imagine such a world)_................... **but I won't. **

**This was the chapter I began with when I decided to write this story around it. This was where it originated and was built off of. I'm wired that way. I don't write a story 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. This one was written. 12. 10. 3. 1. 2. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 11. 13... lols. plus the four deleted chapters I decided not to put in. hahaha. Including _Charlie and Jason's cave adventure. Percy and Charlie's argument about picking on Jason. Making Percy look stupid while hiding the Aaron Stone Secret. And Jason's Fever. _Lols. all chapters that were written and deleted from the story. hahaha. Now here's a second nightmare- Now your minds are set to wonder how these chapters go!! lols. ^^**

_Anyhoo- here's the **SECOND TO LAST **chapter before the Finale to the HERO STORIES!! THAT'S RIGHT! SECOND TO LAST!! I split it into 2 parts. SO COME BACK FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER LATER TONIGHT OR TOMORROW!!! DO NOT SKIP THE LAST CHAPTER OR YOU WON'T UNDERSTAND THE NEXT STORY!!!!!!!  
_

**WARNING: Slightly graphic description...  
**

**READ, REVIEW, and ENJOY!!!! ^^**

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12

Jason was the best brother Charlie could ever ask for.

He was stupid and immature and obnoxious. When Charlie told him to pay attention he made it his job to look the other way. He snored at night. He drank milk straight from the family carton. He gave frequent wet willies like a little kid and used Charlie's music player without asking him. He got mayo in said music player the next day. He broke the front wheels off of Charlie's skateboard and ran his bike into a ditch. He dropped his Calculus book in the bathtub and hit on all the girls Charlie had any chance with and chased them off. He liked to tag along on Charlie's dates and randomly give his cell phone number away to strangers for kicks. He never put the cap back on the toothpaste and left his sneakers on the kitchen counter. He clipped his toenails on the living room floor and left hair in the comb and used Charlie's razor to shave. When he was told no he had a tendency to think it meant the exact opposite and never stopped talking.

And he was the best brother Charlie could ever ask for. If he wasn't that annoying kid no one wanted around then Charlie would never have been able to play the big brother. He would never have become the Charlie Landers he was. The super hero. The savior. The guy everyone needed to turn to. After all that was his job. He saved people.

It had started when he was a kid, keeping Jason away from the bee hives he seemed so curious about and fishing him out of the pool when he fell in trying to impress some girls. He saved him from the bullies at school and kept them away from him as well as he could until he had learned to take care of them himself and later on, saved him from the more drastic things. He remembered saving him from the poison Necros had injected into his body, poison that had nearly cost Jason his life and _had _cost him his secret. He saved Jason from the mutants that had attacked in the forest and the beast that he had nearly become in the process.

He had saved Jason from himself when he seemed so set on throwing away his life to be Aaron Stone's accomplice- something Jason hadn't wanted but something Charlie knew was right for him. In truth, despite the danger, Charlie was pretty certain that Jason would have never quite the hero life if given the chance to actually be one. He saw the way his brother looked at him. He wanted it. He wanted to be different and special and important. He really didn't have a clue how special he was and this was something Charlie _wished_ he could save Jason from.

But that was his job. He saved people. He helped people. So why was Jason so limp in his arms?

Charlie cradled Jason tightly against his chest, fingers reaching out and trying to find a place to hold that wouldn't hurt him. How much blood was there caked against Jason's face? Charlie couldn't even begin to imagine. He could barely recognize him under the red mask. His shirt had been burned away from his body, a blackened hole over his heart to show a scorched chest. The skin was blackened and still wet with blood as was the snow underneath Charlie. All that blood.

_Oh god, all that blood._

"Oh God, no. Please God no..." Charlie whispered, lips trembling as he brushed the pad of his thumb against his little brother's bangs, some of which had fallen over his grey eyes. The eyes killed Charlie. He couldn't look at them. He couldn't look without his breath stopping. He knew those grey eyes. He remembered seeing them peeking out from the sheets the first day his mother had brought him home from the hospital, a tiny new baby brother for Charlie to love and support forever. He saw the glimmer of grey triumph the day Charlie taught him to ride a two wheel bike. He saw the grey of defiance in them when they argued and fought about stupid things. He saw the grey of pride the first time he had saved Charlie's life. He saw the determination to take care of his big brother. And he saw the emptiness now.

The grey of gone.

The smell hit Charlie's nose and he wretched but it wasn't because of the stench of burning flesh. It was the fact that he now knew there was no way Jason could be alive. It made him feel like dieing. It made him feel like he were dead himself. He was in hell. This was hell. THIS WAS HELL!

Charlie's heart shattered right there into a million different pieces and he screamed. His head tilted back as burning hot tears rained down his frozen cheeks. He screamed and screamed and screamed until his voice gave out and his lips began to hurt. And even then he kept on screaming in agony as if it had been his own heart that had been pierced and not the frail boy in his arms. Not Jason. Not Jase. Not his brother.

"GOD _NO_!!!" Charlie screamed even as more tears cascaded down his face. He screamed again, feeling Jason's blood ooze between his fingers and slide under his fingernails. "_OH GOD, NO! NO_!" He pressed his face against his little brother's chest. No heartbeat. No thing. No Jason. "JASON! NO! GODDAMN THIS ALL! GOD DAMN THIS!!! GOD NO!!! JASON LISTEN TO ME!_ JASON LISTEN TO ME!!!_"

His fingers tightened against his little brother's body, squeezing and squeezing a way he knew would drive Jason insane if he were still there. He squeezed and squeezed like he expected Jason to come back and push him off, complaining about the hug and the cold and begging him to just get them back to the bus and home.

"JASON COME BACK!" Charlie screamed. His heart was gone. Broken into a million pieces and swept away in the wind, ground down to sand and dust and taken away forever. "YOU CAN'T! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME! YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP! THINK ABOUT MOM! THINK ABOUT _ME_!!!" He stared into Jason's eyes- staring blindly up at the sky. It was a sky he'd never see again. It was a world he would never return to, a place he would never go. Charlie wouldn't accept it. He couldn't accept this. He wouldn't. He shook his brother roughly, his head flopping around and then falling back, exposing a long white neck when his body went slack and his head lolled over Charlie's arm, hanging limp as if it were broken. Charlie cradled Jason closer so he could see his eyes again. "Jason no... I can't...I can't do this without you. I can't... I can't do anything without... oh God Jason please come back. Don't you dare. Don't you dare go where I can't follow. Don't you dare... please just come back. Please just for one second. Just for one second so I can tell you-" Charlie trembled, his eyes were blurry. He pressed a hand against his brother's face, reaching and taking his hand. So cold. His skin was so cold and white? Where had the life gone? So quickly it had vanished. It didn't seem realistic that everything him and his brother had ever built up to had been struck down with a fraction of a second. It took fifteen years to build it up and now it was just...gone. The last colors of life were slowly fading out of pink lips that would never smile again. Never laugh again.

Percy was slumped against the rock fixture nearby, staring at the sky awkwardly, uncertain what to do or where to turn to even as Charlie was left mourning the only brother he'd ever had. Charlie didn't notice he was even there anymore. He could see only Jason. The Jason he knew, smiling and laughing like the kid he was. The kid he might have been. Those eyes sparking with amusement when he got a new game or laughing together when they played. The little brother that looked up to him. The little brother that had counted on him falsely. "Jase... Jason... come on, man. Come on. Not now. I'm not ready. Please not now."

Jason's face stayed frozen in the same fear he had felt in death. His lips were slightly opened, his eyes wide and fearful, glazed and faded in death. He wasn't coming back. He was never coming back. Not ever and Charlie knew it.

Charlie saved people. It was his job to save people. He had promised Jason with everything he had that he would protect him. He would keep him safe and Jason had had the utmost confidence in him that he would keep true to his worlds. He looked up to Charlie so much. He trusted him like any little brother would and maybe even more. They were so close. They had always been so close and now that single mutant had made a liar out of Charlie.

He had promised to protect Jason forever.

He had failed.

Charlie reached forwards a hand and slowly closed Jason's wide, blank eyes for the last time. They were eyes he'd never see again and Charlie felt his tears score his flesh like hot iron, his cheeks sticky from the dried ones and salty from fresh ones as he shook his head and tilted his head in the other direction. He could still see Jason's distraught body even with his eyes closed. It was something he would never be able to forget. And it was all his fault. "I'm so sorry, baby bro." Charlie croaked, voice hoarse from screaming his heart out. "I'm so so sorry."

There was a ringing in Charlie's ears and he held his little brother close. But in his arms there was nothing. Jason was already gone.

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_Kills me. Just so you all know and don't hate me, I was sobbing like a baby when I wrote this. I really get into my stories when I write and had to get myself into character. My throat constricted and I was crying and my eyes were so teary that I couldn't see the screen. I corrected as much as I caught but excuse some spelling or grammar issues. I couldn't see very well. My heart broke in a million different places for Charlie in this chapter and even if the words don't suit your taste, just imagine what he's feeling right now. Just try and think about that. It kills me. It killed me. But it's okay because it'll be worth it in the long run. =') tearful crying happy hopeful face. lols_

_ONE CHAPTER LEFT!!! Like for real this time. Sorry I keep pulling this on you. My chapters are getting longer and longer and I keep deciding that different areas are good to cut off on. The next chapter was supposed to be part of this one but I liked the ending lines. Thought they were appropriate. Don't kill me yet!!!!! Just read the next chapter and please please pleaaaaaase!!!..........._

_..............REVIEW!!! ^^_


	13. woops megaedited warning

_**13**_

_**MEGAEDITED!!! IF YOU READ CHAPTER 13 TODAY (APRIL 2, 2010) THEN YOU READ A DEFAULT CHAPTER THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS STORY!!! IGNORE AND PLEASE WAIT FOR THE REAL THING!!! **_

_**SINCEREST APOLOGIES!!!!!!!!!!!**_


	14. The Future Has Been Decided

**APOLOGIES FOR THE MEGAEDIT!!! Those were the thoughts I had before I changed them to the correct topic and didn't make much sense I know. Even after this fully edited chapter- it's still not going to make much sense. Keep in mind though that there is another story on the way. If you end this chapter with more questions than you do answers then just be patient. I did that on purpose to have alot to fill the next story and the future stories with. There are alot of plans in mind. This is just the ice breaker to get through to them and start us up our engines for the future. **

**Don't kill me yet!!! Here! Just read you crazies!!! Huggles for you all for keeping up with this btw. I'm sorry to say the next few chapters going into the story that follows are gonna make you very happy to read but very depressed at the same time. **

**Hope you enjoy this in the meantime!!!**

_**READ, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW **(last chapter please review)** AND ENJOY!!!**_

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13

Charlie wasn't being metaphorical. He was being literal when he said Jason was gone. One moment he was kneeling in the snow, blood covering his hands as he squeezed the limp body of what was once his brother in his trembling arms. The wind whipping at his face and stinging his eyes with ice- then he was gone and so was Charlie. He was surrounded by white but it wasn't snow. It wasn't cold. It wasn't warm. It was just... nothing. It was nothing. He could hear nothing. He could smell nothing. If only he could have been lucky enough to _feel _nothing as well. If only these emotions had been taken with wherever he had _been _taken.

He stood, knees creaking in protest as he blinked past what was left of the tears in his eyes. He still felt dead. He still felt lost but he had dried up like a well. Simply run out of tears to cry. His throat hurt from screaming and when he blinked, he knew Jason's death was not a dream by the dried brown blood staining the palms of both his hands and smearing the front of his jacket with all the colors of his personal hell. But where was he now? And much more importantly- where was Jason?

He was standing on solid ground but underneath him he couldn't see land or floor. It was white, like he was standing on the clearest of all glasses over an immaculate sheet of white paper. There was no distinguishing marks to show where ground met walls and walls met sky. If he was walking uphill he wouldn't be able to tell. If he were to fall he wouldn't know till he hit wherever the end there even was an end to nowhere...

"_VvvvvvvvzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeAaron Stone_."

Charlie cringed down, pressing his hands over both his ears. The ringing hurt his head so badly to listen to. It sounded like someone had pressed a microphone against a speaker till it had simply burst itself out of the sound barrier. His eyes squinted against the pain as the ringing leveled out to words. He caught his name somewhere in it and looked up, tilting his head back to look up at where he thought the ringing was. It may have been down or even straight forward. Direction was not a matter in this place.

"Who's there?" Charlie mumbled, voice shot and barely a whisper.

The ringing grew louder for a moment before dieing back down to a dull ache in the back of Charlie's mind. It came in equally spaced waves, gorwing louder and dimmer with each passing second. It didn't stop even as Charlie felt a pair of eyes on his back and he knew he wasn't alone. He turned around, his feet made no sound when he did, like his body had been set on mute and only his voice was now functional.

What he faced was not a creature or human of any kind. What it was was out of Charlie's league of expertise on exotic strange beasts entirely. In all Aaron Stone's life, he had never met a...a... whatever this was.

It had the shape of a human. It had formed arms and legs and was a strange ominous grey color. Upon closer inspection, Charlie could see it wasn't grey at all but was less solid then it made itself seem. Charlie was seeing straight through it to the whiteness behind it. For a moment Charlie thought of a hologram perhaps but it didn't flicker as one and stayed in a semi absolute form. The harder Charlie looked, the more tangeable it appaeared till Charlie was facing what looked like a shadow come to life. It had no mouth and no face, but when it spoke the black of it's jaw stretched like skin moving over a sealed hole and the ringing grew louder.

"Aaron Stone." It said again and the ringing buzzed onwards into Charlie's head. He winced and cringed away from it like he could escape the sound by pulled backwards slightly. "I apologize for my form. But it is the only way for us to communicate properly. And I fear there is no better time then this to speak with you. I've been meaning to do so for a very long time."

Charlie's nostrils flared slightly and he set his teeth against the torment in his heart. "It's...it's not really a good time for me." He whispered, voice cracking halfway through his words.

"No- you will see that the times I have chosen are always congenial. There is no better time then a time I have decided upon. I have such knowledge at my disposal." It paused when the ringing grew louder and waited till it had subsided before saying in it's booming stiff voice. "I am Tetra."

Charlie blinked. He seemed pretty full of himself whoever this Tetra guy was. He was completely uncertain about what was happening and had a million questions on his mind but right at that moment he didn't feel the need to ask them. He only wanted to find where Jason had gone and go home. Oh god, home. Their mother. He felt fresh tears prick his eyes and he ground his teeth against them.

"You are distressed." The being said. "Fear not. I am Tetra. Tetra can solve you're problems."

Charlie shook his head, face tilting away. "Not this problem." He murmured under his breath.

"Repeat." Tetra ordered when he didn't catch it.

"Nothing." Charlie hissed. "I just... I need to go. I don't have time for this."

"You are going to leave without even listening to what Tetra beckoned you here to decry? There is no better time then the time at hand chosen by Tetra."

Charlie ground his teeth. He was getting impatient with this. He wasn't ready to face his own family right now let alone this stranger claiming to be some sort of God for all Charlie knew. "Listen, I don't need this right now. I need to find-"

"You are distressed about Jason"

Charlie's heart stopped in his chest and he blinked at the shadow before him. his eyebrows furrowed and his body went ridged, suspicion clear in his eyes even as he took a hard step forwards. "Jason..." He whispered and the name hurt his chest. "What do you know about my brother? Where did you take him? Give him back!" Charlie shouted, moving closer. He wasn't sure if he could even grab onto this thing. The closer he got- the less tangible it seemed. The less real.

"There is no better time then now to hear my words. There is never a better time than when Tetra has decided... if you are willing to listen, Aaron Stone."

Charlie swallowed hard. He didn't know where he was. He didn't know where Jason was. And he didn't know how to get back. For all he knew- he wasn't even on earth anymore. For all he knew- he had been killed by a meteor that had fallen from the sky. Or maybe that mutant had come back and ended him while his back was turned. But then where was Buznik? He would be there too, right? And why wasn't Jason running around in here somewhere? For a moment Charlie turned as if he would find his brother calling to him to come and relax for a while but he was still alone. He was still left standing in the abyss with Tetra and no brother at all to speak of. He could see no way to go about this but to listen. And when he was done listening, he would go back to his life- or what was left of his time on earth until death. It couldn't ever be considered life again if he didn't have Jason there with him.

"I'm listening." Charlie mumbled, standing in defeat with his arms dropped against his sides.

The ringing in his ears died nearly down completely as Tetra began to speak and grow darker and solid. "You've lost your brother."

Charlie cringed at his sharpness to attack a topic. What did this have to do with anything? What did losing Jason have to do with-

"I can help you in your distress."

"Help me..." Charlie repeated with disbelief and suspicious. He didn't trust it. It was too strange. It was too inordinate. Bet then again- when was anything in his life really natural? "Who are you?"

"Yes." Tetra repeated without skipping a beat or showing emotion at all. He had no face. Emotions were hard to portray. "Help you. I am Tetra, a creation made long ago to keep order. And I am here to assist you, Aaron Stone. I am your partner in this."

It sounded too good to be true. Whatever Tetra was offering didn't sound realistic and he hadn't even heard. But if it had something to do with Jason then it was well worth listening. Charlie had a feeling he was getting his hopes up over nothing. But even if it was just something to help him cope with the pain then he would take it. It would be better than anything earth had to offer or some psychiatrist that Charlie wasn't even allowed to talk to as Aaron Stone. "Tell me exactly why you want to help me. Or even how you plan to bring Jason..." He stopped. He couldn't even think of his brother without choking on his own words. He couldn't even begin to...

"I have Jason in my possession as we speak."

"Alive?" Charlie said hopefully, faith creeping into his voice.

"No. Quite dead. But not lost. There is still a way to recover him."

"Recover him? Like I can have him back and... but how? No? How would that even be possible. Plenty of people die. No one has ever come back. It's impossible."

"Is it really? Only because you have yet to see it does not means it is impossible, Aaron Stone. I am disappointed. I disapprove of your learning's." Charlie let it continue, not interrupting again. He was out of words to speak. "And it has happened before. He knows a way to work such miracles."

"He?"

"Nefertum Runihura." Tetra went on plainly. "Somewhat of a God in his times but nothing more than a scientist. He discovered the life potion many many years ago in his lab and used it to graft with his own DNA. I cannot say the outcome was what he was looking for as he was not looking to live forever- only to bring him back to the peak of his youth in his age. But he accomplished just that and has been buried away for centuries in a somewhat dormant state. But I'm sure he would have the power to help you. The effects of the life potion are not as strong after so many years and a the mingling with his semi-human form and will not allow your brother the same invincibility that Nefertum has been granted but save him, it will. If you abstract a dose of his medicine from his veins you and your brother may be in luck." He turned slightly and his form went a few shades lighter. "."

Charlie shook his head, teeth grinding harder. "I'm afraid I don't follow. You're saying some...guy... some ancient scientist found a way to live forever? He mutated himself to make himself invincible?"

"Precisely."

"And let me get this straight... if I can find him and get a dose of this medicine... his blood... I can bring Jason back to life with it? It'll be powerful enough to bring him back?"

Charlie thought he saw Tetra shrug but couldn't be sure.

"Tell me! If I find this Nefertum guy I can get Jason back? Like back from the dead?"

"Yes. Exactly that, Aaron Stone. Find him and you will have your brother once more."

It was too good to be true. Just the simple fact that Charlie might have a chance of saving Jason made his heart swell and beat in his chest. It wasn't all lost. He could help this. But a million more questions had been unearthed. Who was Tetra really and how would Charlie be able to convince Nefertum to give over a vial of his own blood. The thought creep ed Charlie out really. And if Nefertum refused, would Charlie have the guts to force it?

This was either the most wonderful luck for Charlie or his worst nightmare. But things would have to be cleared up in the future. He would figure things out when they happened, as it was- "Why are you telling me this? What do you get out of this? I don't even know who you are."

Tetra breathed, nearly a sigh before he admitted with slight hesitation is any, "I get nothing but reassurance from you. Nefertum is mine own mortal enemy and none other than my creator. He made me to help him and when I grew obsolete- he locked me away and replaced me with other such programs."

Programs. So Tetra was a computer. Or at least a system for a computer. It was so advanced though. Tetra clearly learned and grew like a human. He was like a mutant. A computer system mutated to act as a human instead of a human made to act as a system. This information didn't put Charlie at rest. This Nefertum guy sounded like an evil genius to him. And if Tetra was built to learn and adapt and he had been alive for however many centuries- what wool could he be pulling over Charlie's eyes without him even realizing. They were both much over his head by a long shot.

"For thousands of years," Tetra continued, "we have been in an everlasting battle. It was only just a few hundred ago that I lay him to rest in a tomb, very much alive but trapped by his own selfish ways. If you were to find him and stop him- it would be a blessing for me. And you see, my form is not as stable as it has always been. Nefertum would be too much a challenge for me to end on my own."

Charlie shook his head. " I'm sorry but I'm not going to kill him. I don't do things that way. But if I find Nefertum Runiharu... I defeat him and get my brother back and you only get... satisfaction? I feel like I'm missing something." Charlie murmured, unable to believe any of this was really happening. A moment ago he had been on a ski trip with Percy and his brother and now he was here in who knew where discussing a way to bring back the dead out of the good of this creature's heart. It was all so alien to Charlie that it was giving him a headache just considering the possibilities.

"Precisely... And the reassurance that in the future, if ever there come a time when I need something of you, you will provide me with such necessities."

Charlie didn't like the sound of that. It was a computer. What could it possibly need? It sounded so ominous and gave the possibilities of endless things happening. But if it saved Jason then he would take the risk. Whatever it was that he needed to give- Jason was a million times more important. He was Aaron Stone after all. Saving people was his job- and Jason definitely fell under important people.

"I'll do it. Whatever you need. Just show me what to do."

"And you are quite sure. You are willing to give anything when the time is chosen by Tetra..."

"Anything." Charlie said and there wasn't even the slightest cloud of doubt in his voice. "As long as I can have my brother back. I'll do anything."

Tetra's face stretched in a way that hinted a smile under the blackness of blank flesh and his figure grew completely solid. The ringing stopped and Charlie stood in silence for a split second. "Admirable. There is no better future than a future Tetra has decided upon. And the future has already been selected."

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_COULDN"T END WITH JASON DEAD NOW COULOD I!?!? I'm a happy ending kinda tragedy girl. lols ^^_

_Alrighty then all you lovers!!! I wanna thank you all for reading this! I told you it would be a suprising ending. It's a different pathway I'm taking here. lols. I must say though- in the next story it is going to be my same ol' same ol' writing habits but i'm trying out a slightly new flavor. It's gonna be slightly darker and very angsty. It will still be enjoyable I promise but as of what I've written, it's slightly more graphic in some parts if only just a tid bit. It's still good though. It's just not as floofy as my writing usually is. Not overboard I promise though._

_I wanna thank you all for the reviews and give a shout out to those few of you who stuck with me from the very first story My Not So Super Hero Aaron Stone. I know this was a sad excuse for one of my stories considering it is nothing when compared to my personal favorite #2 Be My Own Hero but it's a good filler between this and the next one. I also gotta thank all you newer reviewers who just recently started reading. If it weren't for you all I probably would have dropped this story for this, that and the other thing. If you are new though- please take this time to read my other Aaron Stone stories to this mini- series. It will be a good time taker between now and when I post the first chapter of my next story No Heroes in This World (which will probably be up in a week or two. Don't expect it before the 8th though._

_Please please please review!!!!!!!! Let me know what you think about this chapter! Let me know what you think about the whole story! Let me know what you think about Quantum Physics for all I care! Just review review review for me! I wanna know whats on your mind. Anything at all you liked, disliked, or would like to see in the future. _

_Oh- and I hear there is a Charlie basher out there? JUST WAIT TILL THE NEXT STORY, HUN! I'm taking this out!!! lols. XD_

_Thanks so much! Love you all! Byyyye for now!!! ^^_


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